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Jalapeño Coleslaw

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American Southern, Tex/Mex, Texan
Keyword Coleslaw, Jalapeno Cole Slaw
Prep Time 45 minutes
Flavor blooming time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author David of Sunset & Sewanee

Equipment

  • a food processor fitted with medium to large grating attachment or hand grater
  • cutting board
  • chef knife
  • measuring spoons and cups
  • colander
  • wire whisk
  • 2 large mixing bowls
  • rubber spatula
  • storage container with a tight-fitting lid
  • Microplane zester or standard zester

Ingredients

Vegetables

  • ½ head cabbage, green, shredded
  • cup salt, kosher or sea salt (Be sure to rinse the cabbage well)
  • cup sugar
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
  • 2 large  jalapeño, cored and seeds removed, finely diced (If you want a spicy slaw, leave ½ or all of the  jalapeño seeds in)
  • 3 whole scallions, thinly sliced

Buttermilk Cilantro Lime Dressing

  • cup buttermilk
  • cup mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought
  • cup sour cream, homemade or store-bought (substitutes are Mexican Crema or French Crème Fraîche)
  • 3 tbsp vinegar, apple, or white vinegar
  • 3 tbsp sugar, granulated or caster
  • 1 whole lime, zested, and juiced
  • 1 whole lemon, zested, and juiced
  • 3 tbsp cilantro, fresh and cleaned, minced (Leafy green parts work best, but fresh cilantro stems will work also)
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp cumin, ground
  • tsp pepper, black, ground
  • salt to taste (Salt is optional since the cabbage has already been salted to extract excess moisture. Even though thoroughly washed, it still retains some saltiness.)

Instructions

Preparing the Cabbage

  • Remove the core at the bottom of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage down into workable sizes.
  • Using a food processor set up with a medium or large grating attachment. Shred all the cabbage and place it into a colander fitted over a larger mixing bowl. Alternatively, you may use a hand grater.
  • Add the salt and sugar to the mixing bowl. Mix the cabbage by hand.
  • Place a colander in a mixing bowl and pour the cabbage mixture into the colander.

NOTE: (IF YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL, YOU CAN SKIP THE SUGAR/SALTING PROCEDURE. The Jalapeño Coleslaw will still be extremely delicious.)

  • The cabbage must be thoroughly mixed with salt and sugar for at least 30 minutes in a colander over a larger mixing bowl. After 30 minutes, squeeze the excess moisture from the cabbage by hand. Next, rinse the cabbage under icy water and again squeeze out all the excess moisture. (For those trying this for the first time, repeat this process to remove the excess salt thoroughly.) Reserve.
  • Shred the carrots using the same food processor or grater as before. Reserve.
  • Cut the stems from the jalapeños. Split the jalapeño into two halves. Use the tip of the knife to cut out the seeds and pith. Slice the jalapeño into thin strips and then bunch the slices together and cut across to dice. Reserve.
  • Thinly slice the scallions, discarding the root end. Reserve.
  • Add the prepared cabbage, carrots, jalapeños, and scallions to a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine. Reserve.

Making the Dressing

  • Zest and juice the lemons and limes. Reserve.
  • Mince the well-rinsed and dried cilantro. Reserve.
  • Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife. Mince the garlic thoroughly. Reserve.
  • Measure out the apple cider vinegar, sugar, cumin, and black pepper. Reserve
  • In a large mixing bowl, measure out the buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Then, use a wire whisk and combine the ingredients thoroughly.
  • Once the dressing base is made, add the zest, cilantro, garlic, apple cider vinegar, sugar, cumin, and black pepper, whisking together occasionally. Check for salt. You may find you don't need any.

Combine the Cabbage Mixture with the Dressing

  • Add the prepared Buttermilk Cilantro Lime Dressing to the prepared cabbage mixture. Use a rubber spatula or your hands, fitted with kitchen gloves, and mix the coleslaw thoroughly.
  • Place the Jalapeño Coleslaw into a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve as needed. Jalapeño Coleslaw will keep 3-4 days refrigerated.