Recipes

California Coleslaw

You can't have a successful BBQ without a great slaw, and this West Coast-inspired dish will compete with meat for plate space    

By Caren McSherry /

Credit: Flickr/Andrea_Nguyen

Pour the dressing over the vegetables when you’re ready to serve your California coleslaw, but not a moment before

For a quick and easy summer side, a little coleslaw is the perfect complement to all the flame-broiled meat. Add a bit of Californian excitement with Napa cabbage, then serve this dish at your next BBQ

This is not really Californian other than in its use of Napa cabbage, but I find that regular cabbage can be a bit bitter and sometimes hard to digest. The mixture in this slaw is so refreshing, light and super easy to make.

Ingredients

  • 1 large head fresh fennel
  • 1 small head Napa cabbage
  • 1 medium Treviso radicchio (long red endive)
  • 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
  • 4 strips bacon, fried crisp and crumbled (optional)

Dressing:

  • ⅔ cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp. yogurt or sour cream
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tbsp. Côte d’Azur Spice 2.0 chili paste (optional)
  • Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Cut the tops off the fennel, then cut in half and remove the diamond-shaped core.
  2. Using a mandolin, shave the fennel and set aside. Using a chef’s knife, shred the cabbage and the Treviso radicchio as fine as you can. Toss the shredded vegetables with the shaved fennel and chill until serving time.
  3. To prepare the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and chili paste (if using) in a mixing bowl. Whisk together until the mixture is blended.
  4. Taste for seasoning, then add the sea salt and ground pepper.
  5. When you are ready to serve and not before, pour the dressing over the prepared vegetables and toss well to coat.
  6. Garnish with the toasted pumpkin seeds and crumbled bacon.
  7. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Listen to Caren McSherry Thursdays between 11 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. on CKNW 98.

Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.