Cool as Coleslaw

I love the cool crunch of coleslaw, but store-bought slaw is usually drowning in mayonnaise and overly sweet.  Making it at home is a bit labor intensive (if you don’t have a food processor) but worth the effort.  Don’t be too hard on yourself if your cabbage isn’t sliced with perfect uniformity — it will make for a rustic salad that looks truly homemade.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound red cabbage
1/2 pound white cabbage
1/2 pound napa cabbage
5 carrots
1.5 cups good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1  teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Slice the cabbage into long, thin strips by cutting each cabbage head into quarters and then slicing the quarters lengthwise with a sharp knife.  If you’re using a food processor, fit the processor with the thickest slicing blade and place the cabbage wedges into the processor horizontally to ensure long shreds.  (If the quarters are sliced cross-wise in the processor, you’ll end up with short shreds resembling confetti.)  Grate the carrots by hand or, if using a food processor, fit the processor with the grating blade and feed the carrots through the tube in small batches.

Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, and salt in a bowl.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour dressing over cabbage and carrot mixture, then add pepper to taste.  Serve immediately or chill for up to four hours.  Garnish with grated carrot.

Note: You can shred the cabbage up to a day ahead of time and store airtight in the refrigerator.  Be sure to store red cabbage separately, as it will stain the lighter cabbages pink.