 | |  | |  |
| To match dry Gewürztraminer... Dill Seed Slaw An exotic mayo-less cole slaw - I n g r e d i e n t s - Cabbage - about 1/4 of a head, or 2 cups chopped Radishes - the equivalent of 5 medium red radishes, chopped Cucumber - 1/3 of an English one chopped, or 1/2 of a regular cuke, seeded and chopped Apple - 1 peeled, cored, and chopped apple that isn't too tart Dill Seed - 1/2 tsp Tarragon - dried, 1 tsp White Sugar - 1 Tbls, to taste JorJan - 1/2 tsp (this is a Bulgarian herb that is like mint) less dried mint can substitute Dressing - see notes - T o o l s - A kitchen knife & cutting board measuring devices large mixing bowl & mixing spoon - T h e B i g P i c t u r e - This salad matches one of the more erudite wines of this world... Dry Gewürztraminer. A good one is hard to find for several reasons: the worst is that marketers mis-label off-dry as dry, secondly, there aren't that many people that know when to harvest this fruit and tend to leave it on the vine until the acidity dies into soapiness. But if you find one, like they make at Harvest Moon Winery, then this is the dish to match it. And man-o-man, what a match it is. This is a starter salad and not a side dish. Serve it when the weather is hot and there are 6-8 people to enjoy it. And about the name? The dill seeds aren't that important to the recipe, but I just like the sound of it. the salad served at a Taster's Reserve Wine Club dinner - T h e C h o p C h o p - Ideally 2-3 hours, and not less than 1 hour before you are going to serve this dish, chop the cabbage and season it with the dressing as described below, along with the herbs. The one herb we use in this that is impractical to find, is the Bulgarian JorJan. But if you join the Taster's Reserve or become a Patron of Ahh, we will give you a slip of it to grow in your own garden. I haven't tried this yet, but I think if you take regular mint from the garden, and dry it out in the toaster oven, it will substitute for the Bulgarian version. There is no substitute for the Dill Seed because Caraway seed is too strong, and Dill Weed takes it in the wrong direction. Back to the cabbage, you can do this anyway you want, but what I do is take the head of cabbage, peel of the outer leaves, and cut off two or three 'rounded discs' from the head. Then with that disc, flat on the cutting board, I cut it into 1/2 inch or smaller squares by cutting in one direction, and then 90 degrees to that. Put the marinading cabbage into the refrigerator to chill. About 1 hour before serving add the chopped cucumber, about a cup diced. Then just before serving, peel, core, and chop the apple and toss it in the dressing to avoid browning. Sometimes I rub the apple in Rice Wine Vinegar, but don't use the lemon juice trick. Now if for some reason you want to lighted up this salad, or increase the size of it, you can substitute/add the ribs of hearts of Romaine Lettuce leaves for a percentage of the cabbage. Just make sure to cut most of the green off the lettuce leaf before chopping them. - T h e D r e s s i n g - I don't like sounding like a curmudgeon, but, people love to give gourmet food items as presents, and they usually just sit around forever, better than canned fruit cake, but not much. Well... this is just such an item, but it's great and perfect for this recipe: Wine Country Kitchens brand of Mango Chile Vinegar. WineCountryKitchens.com By the way, if you have ever toyed with the idea of having your own brand of bottled food product, there is a really good section on 'Co-Packing' at this website. So I start with about 1 to 2 Tbls of the dressing and 1 level Tbls of White Sugar, plus all the herbs mentioned. Mix and taste. Adjust the taste to the slightly sweet side, even though the wine is dry. Now if you can't find the Mango Chile Vinegar, you can substitute Consorzio Mango fat-free Dressing. This has more sugar in it, more mango flavor, and less vinegar, so you need to make the following adjustments: Start with 1 Tbls of the Consorzio, and 1 Tbls of Unseasoned Rice Wine Vinegar, and less than 1 Tbls of sugar. Taste and adjust an hour before serving, and check it again, just before serving. - T o T h e T a b l e - This salad does not have a lot of color, other than the radishes, so you might want to consider serving it in some colorful plates or bowls. There is a little bit of controversy in our house if this is best served like soup with a big spoon in a bowl, or like a salad on a plate to be eaten with knife and fork. The latter is a safer way to go, but guess which one I like. In any event, if it's hot, chill the dishes, ice the wine, and get ready for the starter course of something good and something even better to come. Man-O-Man! What a Matchoshevitz, What a Salad! 3x5 Card Printable Version Next Page Under Construction |
