Spicy No-Mayo Salad

To end it off, we too had a salad for our dinner on Saturday. Most of the times when I made salad, it's usually with mayo and I think it's pretty unhealthy even if you used low-fat mayo. I mean, with mayo, how low fat can that be right? Sorry, low-fat mayo lovers :(

 

Anyhow, I came across this salad recipe from Mark Bittman when I was researching for my potluck dish.

 

Ingredients:

 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or to taste

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, or freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh chile, like jalapeño, Thai, serrano, or habanero, or to taste (optional)

1/4 cup peanut oil or extra virgin olive oil

6 cups cored and shredded Napa, Savoy, green, and/or red cabbage

1 large red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced or shredded

1/3 cup chopped scallion, more or less

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

 

Method: 

1. To make the dressing, whisk together the mustard and vinegar in a small bowl, along with the garlic and chile. Add the oil a little at a time, whisking all the while.
2. Combine the cabbage, bell pepper, and scallion and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve. (It’s best to let the slaw rest for an hour or so to allow the flavors to mellow; the cabbage will also soften a bit and exude some juice. You can let it sit longer, up to 24 hours, if you like. Drain the slaw before continuing.) Just before serving, toss with the parsley.

 

Variations recommended by Mark Bittman

 

Cabbage and Carrot Slaw, Mexican Style. Grate 2 medium carrots and use them instead of the bell pepper. Use freshly squeezed lime juice in place of the vinegar. Finish with cilantro if you like instead of the parsley.

 

Apple Slaw. Use carrots instead of bell pepper, as in the preceding variation. Use 1 medium onion, grated, in place of the scallion. Shred or grate 2 medium or 1 large Granny Smith apples (or use any tart, crisp apple) and include them in the mix. Lemon juice or cider vinegar is the best choice of acid here.

 

 

I just love the look of the red cabbage. But I realised I omitted the peppers!! Shucks! Nevertheless, this is definitely a very refreshing salad :)