eG Cook-Off #79: Resurrecting and Rethinking Summer Salads, Summer Food’s Unpopular Kid

[David Ross]

One of our favorites in the summer when I was a kid was to get a bucket of "broasted" chicken at a local chicken shack with all the fixings.  This was back in the 1960s when KFC was cropping up around the country and the local shop was just like KFC but better.  They served a coleslaw with a buttermilk dressing very similar to KFC, but they shredded the cabbage fine rather than chopping it.  I adapted this recipe from the KFC recipe you can find online and added some more vegetables. The cabbage should be shredded very thin.  It's another great summer salad and of course far better and less expensive than buying coleslaw from a fast food shop or the grocery store.  

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup buttermilk

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

8 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup chopped green onions

1 tbsp. chopped chives for garnish

 

In a bowl combine the mayonnaise, sugar, milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.  Add the cabbage, carrots and green onions and toss to combine. 

Refrigerate the coleslaw at least 3 hours before serving. As the coleslaw chills, the lemon juice and vinegar blend with the buttermilk giving the coleslaw a tangy flavor.

Garnish the coleslaw with chopped chives before serving.

[MokaPot]

Cole slaw looks really good, @David Ross. How did you "shred" your cabbage and carrots? Did you use a knife, a box grater, a mandoline or a food processor? That recipe would probably be good with raw broccoli and/or cauliflower as well.

[David Ross]

6 minutes ago, David Ross said:

One of our favorites in the summer when I was a kid was to get a bucket of "broasted" chicken at a local chicken shack with all the fixings.  This was back in the 1960s when KFC was cropping up around the country and the local shop was just like KFC but better.  They served a coleslaw with a buttermilk dressing very similar to KFC, but they shredded the cabbage fine rather than chopping it.  I adapted this recipe from the KFC recipe you can find online and added some more vegetables. The cabbage should be shredded very thin.  It's another great summer salad and of course far better and less expensive than buying coleslaw from a fast food shop or the grocery store.  

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup buttermilk

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

8 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup chopped green onions

1 tbsp. chopped chives for garnish

 

In a bowl combine the mayonnaise, sugar, milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.  Add the cabbage, carrots and green onions and toss to combine. 

Refrigerate the coleslaw at least 3 hours before serving. As the coleslaw chills, the lemon juice and vinegar blend with the buttermilk giving the coleslaw a tangy flavor.

Garnish the coleslaw with chopped chives before serving.

Broasted chicken used the same basic cooking technique that Colonel Sanders used.   Deep-frying chicken in a pressure cooker.   Years ago I had a pressure cooker I bought from a company that sold them for deep-frying, but it was pretty crude.  An old fashioned pressure cooker with just a rubber ring around the lid and the steam release on top.  They discontinued making it for safety reasons, but it sure makes moist and juice chicken.

[David Ross]

2 minutes ago, MokaPot said:

Cole slaw looks really good, @David Ross. How did you "shred" your cabbage and carrots? Did you use a knife, a box grater, a mandoline or a food processor? That recipe would probably be good with raw broccoli and/or cauliflower as well.

I use a mandonline to get it really thin.  This morning I was searching on Amazon and came across this Polish cabbage shredder and slicer that looks like it would do the job.

[heidih]

My old cabbage shredder got "miss-placed". Loved it! Curious why light mayo. I have not used a brand I like and since I don't use it often I just go "whole hog" I  also like add in other vegetables. I like it with cucumber, grapes, and apple - not all at once. And on occasion craisins. 

 

Oh and you reminded me of the cabbage salad the neighborhood boys adored. Basically Napa cabbage, thick Chinese egg noodles, grapes, touch of Dijon, green onion, and a "Chinese chicken salad dressing", splash of vinegar if needed. I could make my own but often used Girard's - don't think made anymore. Keeps well and super for buffet events. 

Edited August 12, 2020 by heidih (log)

[David Ross]

13 minutes ago, heidih said:

My old cabbage shredder got "miss-placed". Loved it! Curious why light mayo. I have not used a brand I like and since I don't use it often I just go "whole hog" I  also like add in other vegetables. I like it with cucumber, grapes, and apple - not all at once. And on occasion craisins. 

 

Oh and you reminded me of the cabbage salad the neighborhood boys adored. Basically Napa cabbage, thick Chinese egg noodles, grapes, touch of Dijon, green onion, and a "Chinese chicken salad dressing", splash of vinegar if needed. I could make my own but often used Girard's - don't think made anymore. Keeps well and super for buffet events. 

 

Wow the Napa cabbage with egg noodles sounds good. 

[heidih]

13 minutes ago, David Ross said:

Wow the Napa cabbage with egg noodles sounds good. 

 

The chewy ones from the Chinese market so you get a nice texture contrast. Actually I think I thought  :egg"(cuz I usually type before I think properly) - they are yellow but that could be coloring. Anyway - a chewy noodle. I used to boil them in water using soy sauce as "the salt" - makes  difference.

[chromedome]

1 hour ago, David Ross said:

I use a mandonline to get it really thin.  This morning I was searching on Amazon and came across this Polish cabbage shredder and slicer that looks like it would do the job.

 

I have one similar to that, but I need to play with it a bit before I use it again because it tends to jam mid-stroke. Bought it after making the previous year's kraut, then didn't get to make any last autumn, so this year will be the first good test of it.

[David Ross]

2 minutes ago, chromedome said:

 

I have one similar to that, but I need to play with it a bit before I use it again because it tends to jam mid-stroke. Bought it after making the previous year's kraut, then didn't get to make any last autumn, so this year will be the first good test of it.

I'll be interested in how it goes.  The mandoline just has one blade so seeing the three blades in this one I'm wondering if that causes the cabbage to get jammed.  

[David Ross]

On 8/10/2018 at 9:44 AM, David Ross said:

Well yesterday the plan was to make my summer version of a potato salad.  I've been making this potato salad for about 15 years.  I created it by accident really when some some friends were planning a big summer outdoor party.  I remember thinking potato salad but how could I do it different?  It's just small potatoes, red, fingerling or baby Yukon golds that I boil until tender and chill.  Then I make homemade mayonnaise using a Greek olive oil because it has a peppery flavor and is more fragrant than other olive oils and the mayonnaise has this vibrant yellow color.  Then in goes some diced red pepper, Kalamata or other good olive, (sometimes I use little French nicoise olives or dry-cured black olives), chives or green onions, capers and little haricot vert green beans.  We don't usually see fresh haricot vert in the markets so the frozen ones work pretty well. 

 

But then I started thinking, what about using those little baby Yukon Golds that I roasted under a chicken the night  before?  I know, it doesn't sound right to roast a chicken in the oven when it's 103 outside, but I was craving roast chicken and potatoes.  I had a lot of roasted potatoes left over and they had roasted in all those delicious chicken juices and fat.

And instead of making homemade mayonnaise, (or using bottled mayonnaise), I thought I might try the leftover Caesar Salad dressing from the Grilled Caesar I did a few days back.  Oh and some of the oregano I have growing out of control in a planter on the back porch.  So to be trendy I'll call it a Roast Potato Summer Salad.  Much different from the traditional potato salad but a delicious alternative.

 

 

This is an updated photo of this salad that I posted when we launched the cook-off.  It's the same basic recipe using homemade mayonnaise and instead of leftover roast potatoes I used fresh potatoes.  I love the salty flavor of the olives and sometimes some mashed anchovies are blended into the mayonnaise. 

[heidih]

My old one from Austria (brought over on the boat) had  2 or 3 blades - ya just had to get the right rhythm

[heidih]

2 minutes ago, David Ross said:

This is an updated photo of this salad that I posted when we launched the cook-off.  It's the same basic recipe using homemade mayonnaise and instead of leftover roast potatoes I used fresh potatoes.  I love the salty flavor of the olives and sometimes some mashed anchovies are blended into the mayonnaise. 

 

 

As I have stated I don't believe in rules so I think that is great use of your potatoes. Those tubers are such an adaptable base for many strong flavors

[Toliver]

Regarding the Cole Slaw, our local grocery stores sell "Angel Hair"-sliced cabbage in their produce sections. Like the similarly named pasta, it's finely cut. I much prefer it over the regular slaw sliced cabbage they sell. Less chewy.

Sounds like it would be perfect for your slaw. Thanks, David!

[heidih]

45 minutes ago, Toliver said:

Regarding the Cole Slaw, our local grocery stores sell "Angel Hair"-sliced cabbage in their produce sections. Like the similarly named pasta, it's finely cut. I much prefer it over the regular slaw sliced cabbage they sell. Less chewy.

Sounds like it would be perfect for your slaw. Thanks, David!

 

My problem with all the bagged types is that taste seems to be pretty dull. But I am picky. Good in a pinch

[chromedome]

2 hours ago, David Ross said:

I'll be interested in how it goes.  The mandoline just has one blade so seeing the three blades in this one I'm wondering if that causes the cabbage to get jammed.  

It's not the cabbage that gets jammed, it's the sliding hopper/hand protector thingie. The frame is bowed just slightly, so I need to sand it a bit.

[heidih]

This peach with anchovy dressing sparked my interest today. I can't get to farmers market and refuse to get stone fruit from Kroger by delivery but if anyone else is brave I'd love to know for future.  https://food52.com/recipes/83649-peach-salad-anchovy-vinaigrette-recipe

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Rather than a salad "bowl", we frequently have a salad "plate".     Including some items briefly cooked stovetop, like poached egg, sauted potato or portobello'.  A handful of examples:

Brandade

 

Fast seared Viet barbeque pork, noodles, nuoc cham

 

Poached egg, cold steak, fried potato, balsamic dressing

 

Poached egg and veg, tomato/basil dressing

 

 

All the same, all different.    Great vehicle for leftovers.

 

Edited August 13, 2020 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

This peach with anchovy dressing sparked my interest today. I can't get to farmers market and refuse to get stone fruit from Kroger by delivery but if anyone else is brave I'd love to know for future.  https://food52.com/recipes/83649-peach-salad-anchovy-vinaigrette-recipe

 

At your service....nothing like a little anchovy to wake up the tastebuds in the morning!

 

Beautifully ripe Z Lady Peaches from Tenerelli Orchards at my local farmers market. If one wishes to pay the premium, Tenerelli is now shipping their peaches.   Seems pricey, but their peaches are stellar

 

[heidih]

24 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

At your service....nothing like a little anchovy to wake up the tastebuds in the morning!

Beautifully ripe Z Lady Peaches from Tenerelli Orchards at my local farmers market. If one wishes to pay the premium, Tenerelli is now shipping their peaches.   Seems pricey, but their peaches are stellar

 

 

Thank you! I take it you enjoyed the combo. I am good with anchovy in the morning  

[blue_dolphin]

29 minutes ago, heidih said:

 

Thank you! I take it you enjoyed the combo. I am good with anchovy in the morning  

 

Yes, absolutely!  Thanks for sharing it.  It gave me a lot of ideas for other things to try but was also an excellent reminder that perfect summer fruit doesn't need to be gussied up. 

I used a late harvest Sauvignon blanc vinegar from Katz that's delicious, so that helped, too.

I spooned it over greens (baby kale, chard & spinach) in part because I figured it would look pretty but I very much enjoyed the slight bitterness they added. 

Very enjoyable.  I'll make it or some variation again and wouldn't hesitate to serve it to guests.