The following is something I adapted from a Mexican recipe for escabeche de col, pickled cabbage. By using a light hand with the heat, and sauteing the cabbage until it is just wilted, the recipe is transformed into a muy Mexicano version of coleslaw.
Vegetable oil
I head cabbage, shredded
3-4 onions, peeled, cut in quarters and thinly sliced
4 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
6-10 Jalapenos, finely diced
1 cup white vinegar
1 Tbs or more kosher salt
a tablespoon or more of dried mexican oregano
This seems like a simple recipe, but it has its subtleties.
The first subtle bit is in the sauteing. The idea is to saute the veggies in a bit of oil just until the raw taste is off them and they sweeten. You DON'T want them tasting raw and by the same token you DO want a bit of crunch in them, so pay attention and don't over/undercook them. By simply sauteeing them lightly, you not only get rid of the raw taste, you bring out the sweetness of the veggies, and that is important to this dish. It is, after all, a salad of sorts, not a cooked veggie dish.
The other subtle bit is in the oil. You don't want to be stingy with the oil, because part of what is going on is that flavors from the veggies are flavoring the oil, and that's important. Particularly with the chiles.
Ok, thus endeth the sermon, let's cook.
Pour a bit of oil (perhaps three tablespoons) in a large pot, add the cabbage, put to medium high heat and stir. When everything has sizzled for a few and is wilting down, turn the heat down to medium low and put the lid on it, but peek and stir every minute or two to make sure you don't overcook. Dump the cooked cabbage in a large bowl.
Saute the sliced onions similarly, in a couple of tablespoons of oil, not until they are limp, but just until they get rid of their raw taste and start to get a bit shiny and clear. Their texture should be similar to that of the cabbage. Dump them in with the cabbage.
Saute the carrots likewise. The oil will get orangy, the carrots will lose just a bit of their crispness. Dump them in with the cabbage and onions.
In a saucepan, add the finely diced jalapeños and some oil. Saute the jalapeños for a few, until they just start to lose their bright green color. Don't inhale over the saucepan or you may regret it. Add the salt and the vinegar, and bring the vinegar to a boil. Shut off the heat and let the mixture sit and cool for a few minutes, then pour over the veggies. Rub the mexican oregano between your palms onto the veggies. Stir until well-mixed and put in the fridge to cool. Best if it sits for awhile to let the flavors come out.
Vegetable oil
I head cabbage, shredded
3-4 onions, peeled, cut in quarters and thinly sliced
4 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
6-10 Jalapenos, finely diced
1 cup white vinegar
1 Tbs or more kosher salt
a tablespoon or more of dried mexican oregano
This seems like a simple recipe, but it has its subtleties.
The first subtle bit is in the sauteing. The idea is to saute the veggies in a bit of oil just until the raw taste is off them and they sweeten. You DON'T want them tasting raw and by the same token you DO want a bit of crunch in them, so pay attention and don't over/undercook them. By simply sauteeing them lightly, you not only get rid of the raw taste, you bring out the sweetness of the veggies, and that is important to this dish. It is, after all, a salad of sorts, not a cooked veggie dish.
The other subtle bit is in the oil. You don't want to be stingy with the oil, because part of what is going on is that flavors from the veggies are flavoring the oil, and that's important. Particularly with the chiles.
Ok, thus endeth the sermon, let's cook.
Pour a bit of oil (perhaps three tablespoons) in a large pot, add the cabbage, put to medium high heat and stir. When everything has sizzled for a few and is wilting down, turn the heat down to medium low and put the lid on it, but peek and stir every minute or two to make sure you don't overcook. Dump the cooked cabbage in a large bowl.
Saute the sliced onions similarly, in a couple of tablespoons of oil, not until they are limp, but just until they get rid of their raw taste and start to get a bit shiny and clear. Their texture should be similar to that of the cabbage. Dump them in with the cabbage.
Saute the carrots likewise. The oil will get orangy, the carrots will lose just a bit of their crispness. Dump them in with the cabbage and onions.
In a saucepan, add the finely diced jalapeños and some oil. Saute the jalapeños for a few, until they just start to lose their bright green color. Don't inhale over the saucepan or you may regret it. Add the salt and the vinegar, and bring the vinegar to a boil. Shut off the heat and let the mixture sit and cool for a few minutes, then pour over the veggies. Rub the mexican oregano between your palms onto the veggies. Stir until well-mixed and put in the fridge to cool. Best if it sits for awhile to let the flavors come out.
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