Doctor's Kitchen Monday: Patchwork Slaw

This is a nice change of pace salad. I've been craving cabbage lately, with it's crunch and heartiness that I haven't been satisfied with in lettuces. Not sure what it means, but I'll ride with it for the time being.

This recipe is from one of my cookbooks, The Dairy Hollow House Cookbook by Crescent Dragonwagon.  Crescent and her late husband, Ned, owned a country in and restaurant in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where I worked as a group event planner for a couple of years in the early 90's.  Gene and I loved the town. I've never lived anywhere like it. The town motto is "where the misfits, fit" and it's true. The population in the town is a hodgepodge of people from various backgrounds. No, really. I mean a REAL hodgepodge.  One 15 minute walk down one of the main streets filled with galleries and the boutiques of artisans will explain what I'm talking about more easily than paragraphs of more writing. The next closest description I can give to explain Eureka is to say it's like flopping Taos, New Mexico down in Wal-mart headquarters country.

This recipe is for the Weekend Cookbook Challenge blogging event, sponsored this month by Tami of Running with Tweezers (love that blog name!) for her theme of salads.    Check in with Tami to see the round-up of cookbook creations.  Patchwork Slaw, one of my favorite dishes at the Inn, the recipe is featured in Crescent's second major cookbook, Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread. I remember how much I liked it but I don't think I've ever made it myself at home so I thought it was time to break it out and enjoy it.

This event was originally created by Sara at I like to Cook.

By the way, if you have this cookbook, look on the second column of the acknowledgement page and you'll find my name.

Hey, I'll take seeing my name in print anywhere I can get it.

Crescent Dragonwagon's Patchwork Slaw

1 6" diameter head green cabbage, core and outer leaves removed, and sliced thin

1 red apple, cored and diced

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

3 carrots, scrubbed, peeled, and grated

2/3 cup Curried Vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 head red cabbage, cored and sliced thin

3 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

1.  Not more than 2 hour before serving, in alarge bowl, toss the green cabbage, apple, onion, and half the grated carrots together with 2/3 cups vinaigrette, honey, and salt.  Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and honey.

2.  Immediately before serving, divide the slaw among the chilled serving plates. Scatter a line of red cabbage over the top of each serving, sprinkle the parsley and red pepper on top.  Serve immediately with extra dressing on the side.

Curried Vinaigrette:

Note: you only use 2/3 cups of the 1 1/2 cups this recipe makes, leaving leftovers for other salads. Also, following the original recipe is a modified version that lowers the fat and carb counts.

1/3 cup cider vinegar

3 tbsp dry curry spice mix

3 tbsp light brown sugar

3 tbsp honey

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup mild vegetable oil, such as expeller pressed canola oil

Place all ingredients except oil in a food processor.  With the machine running, pour oil in a thin stream through machine's pusher tube and process until emulsified.

Makes 1 1/3 cups.

Salad prepared, makes 10 cups.

Curried Vinaigrette recipe, modified:

1/2 scant cup cider vinegar

3 tbsp dry curry spice mix

3 tbsp brown sugar Splenda

3 tbsp honey

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup mild vegetable oil, such as expeller pressed canola oil

Makes 2/3 cup

Salad prepared, makes 10 cups.

Nutrition information (not counting extra dressing) per cup: Calories  89; Protein  2; Carbs  6; Fat  .5.

Comments

[Kate]

Yeah, what's up with craving cabbage?? I have been scarfing down cabbage salads lately like I am a dying woman. Must be the weather!

[sher]

That looks delicious---and healthy. But most importat is the delicious part!!! Beautiful picture!

[Glenna]

Kate--I know. It is weird. You'd think cabbage was a fall food but I'm really digging the crunch right now and that curried vinaigrette is to die for.

Sher--thanks so much and, yes, no need to feel guilty about that salad. Very few calories and packs a punch of vitamins and fiber. Win/win.

[mickey]

I stayed at Dairy Hollow once a long time ago. Had Dutch Baby for breakfast, which coincidently I blogged about a couple weeks ago. I like Crescent's writing.

[Glenna]

Mickey--hey, a fellow DHH alum! I'll check out your post tomorrow on my day off.

[Willa]

Gosh- that brought back memories- I had forgotten about Crescent Dragonwagon and Eureka Springs!
Your picture was beautiful- I am impressed at people who can make food look that good.

Willa

[Glenna]

Willa--thanks for the compliments! I appreciate it. And you were a Dairy Hollow House fan too? I'm doing a crepe torte in a couple of days that was another DHH recipe.