With every passing day we are getting closer and closer to warm weather, which only means one thing...barbecue season! One of my favorite sides to have at a barbecue is coleslaw...actually one of my favorite sides in general is coleslaw. Whenever I go to a restaurant and I see coleslaw on the menu, I usually at least ask for a small side of it just to give it a try. All coleslaw is definitely NOT created equal, as I have tasted some pretty nasty coleslaw in my day.
Given my refined taste in the art of coleslaw I feel quite confident in my ability to make it and absolutely LOVE this recipe. It is definitely my go to recipe when making my favorite side. The key to me is a good balance of cream, crunchy,sour, sweat, salty. If you add to much mayo it gets overly creamy and all you taste is mayo. If you let it sit to long the salt and vinegar will break down the veggies leading it to be too mushy. But, if you don't let it sit long enough the flavors don't have enough time to meld together.
This recipe I feel does a great job of balancing the flavors and textures. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Combine cabbage, onion, carrot, and parsley in a large bowl, leaving plenty of room to toss (you may have to use two large bowls if your bowls are not large enough). Sprinkle with sugar and salt and toss to combine. Let rest five minutes, then transfer to a large colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
Transfer rinsed mixture to a salad spinner and spin dry. Alternatively, transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with a triple layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and blot mixture dry with more paper towels. Return to large bowl and set aside.
Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, black pepper, and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until homogeneous.
Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, sugar, and/or vinegar if desired.
I was really in the mood for salsa and I figured since tomorrow is the Super Bowl I would make a new salsa. What really makes this salsa special is the fact that most of the veggies area roasted and charred under a broiled given a very intense depth of flavor. I also added in some un-roasted vegetables to bring the salsa freshness and stability. This is definitely a fantastic recipe that has quite a bite to it...I would probably put it at the same heat level as the hot salsa at Chipotle.
So what do you have going on for the super bowl tomorrow? Are having a party? Are you going to a party? Are you making something special?? Let me know in the comments below! Me?? The wife and I are probably going to bunker down tomorrow since we are expecting quite the snow storm tomorrow. I will probably watch some of the game, but really once the Steelers are out of the mix, I pretty much move on to Hockey season (Lets go Pens!).
Preheat the broiler and place rack on top position.
Squeeze the tomato halves, reserving the juice and seeds.
Set aside 2 of the tomatoes and one of the jalapenos and toss the rest of the produce in a large bowl with the olive oil then spread onto a foil lined baking sheet.
Broil for 20 min, stirring often for even browning.
Move to a work bowl of a food processor and add the reserved tomatoes, jalapeno and lime juice. Pulse several times until mixture reaches salsa consistency. If mixture is too dry, add part or all of the reserved tomato liquid.
Stir in cilantro and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.