Cabbage Slaw

Description

The cabbage in this beer slaw is a fitting backdrop for the bell pepper, onion, celery seeds, toasted caraway seeds, and a pairing pal. Use as a side dish or on a platter for a colorful way to offer guests Happy Hour Onion Petals!
Pair with: Oktoberfest, German Hefeweizen, Belgian Witbier

Ingredients

8 cups shredded green cabbage

1/2 medium-size green or red bell pepper, or a combination, chopped

1-1/2 tablespoons minced onion

1 cup mayonnaise (use recipe below or store-bought mayo)

1/4 cup sour cream, or to taste (use recipe below or store-bought sour cream)

1/4 cup beer of your choice, preferably the same beer you’re pairing with the dish

1 teaspoon celery seeds*

1/2 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds*

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

*Note: Grind the celery and toasted caraway seeds if you like, but I prefer them whole.

Directions

Combine the cabbage, bell pepper, and onion in a large bowl. Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, beer, celery and caraway seeds, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the cabbage mixture, and toss to coat well. Refrigerate the slaw for at least 30 to 45 minutes before serving. Yields 12 servings.

Special notes

DIY Mayonnaise

For anyone looking for a plant-based alternative to store-bought mayonnaise, Vegenaise is the recommended brand. Vegenaise is becoming more widely available in stores, but it can also be purchased online at FollowYourHeart.com, which is the website of the company that originally created it.

For a homemade mayo, the following version can be used in recipes throughout this book:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, such as Colman’s

3/4 cup soft tofu, pressed and drained, if desired (see instructions below)

Stir together the flour, sugar, water, and vinegar in a medium-size saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until thick. Combine the vegetable oil, lime juice, zest, salt, mustard, and tofu in a blender, and blend well. Add half of the hot flour mixture to the blender and blend. Add the remaining flour mixture and blend again. Use at room temperature or cooled in the refrigerator. Homemade vegan mayonnaise will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 days. Yields about 2 cups.

DIY Sour Cream

Nondairy sour cream, such as Tofutti sour Supreme, is available online at such sites as Tofutti.com. FollowYourHeart.com also produces a tasty sour cream alternative. Or you can use this homemade version:

5 (1-inch) slices silken soft tofu, pressed and drained (see instructions below)

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt, to taste

White pepper, to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and blend for 5 minutes, until creamy and very smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more to thicken. This sour cream alternative keeps for about a week. Yields 1-1/2 cups.

Pressing and Draining Tofu: Before using tofu, it’s best to press and drain it to remove excess water. This will firm up the tofu even more.

Cut the tofu block into pieces, usually bite-size pieces or ¾-inch slices. Cover a dish or slanted cutting board (with a catch pan at the bottom) with an absorbent dish towel or paper towels. Place a single layer of tofu pieces on the surface. Cover the tofu layer with another dish towel or paper towels. Top that layer with a heavy object, such as another plate with canned vegetables on top of it, another cutting board, or a weighty skillet. Allow the tofu to drain for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

For any unused tofu, do not press and drain it. Place it in a sealed container, cover with water, and refrigerate. Replace the water every day. Tofu keeps fresh for at least 3 to 4 days.

Recipe courtesy of John Schlimm from ‘The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Happy Hour’.

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