I’ll say it right out. I was disappointed with this one. Not with the recipe, per se, but with the stubborn flavor of raw red cabbage. I had hoped that Alison’s additions of lime juice, sweet onion, honey, jalapeño, red pepper flakes, and sumac would bring this cruciferous vegetable to life. The ingredients certainly helped some, but I didn’t get the same soft, thoroughly tangy effect of a good ole coleslaw that I wanted. Partially, I think it’s because red cabbage is more… difficult than green cabbage. It’s more rigid in structure and prominent in cabbage-y flavor. And unlike most coleslaws, this recipe didn’t call for anything creamy like mayonnaise to soften things up.
Alison says she hates the word ‘coleslaw’ and is adamant that this is a SALAD recipe. So you see where the tension lies. Alison delivered on a salad with a strong cabbage flavor and little resemblance to a slaw. It’s just that that’s not what I was craving. If I make this again, I’ll try it with green cabbage, and add a 1/4th cup of mayonnaise. Sorry, Alison.
66 recipes cooked, 159 to go.
