Tastebud's Raspberry Coleslaw

Cabbage is either something you love or something you detest. I fall into the love category. I used to enjoy coleslaw with mayonnaise but now I think it’s utterly deplorable! So, one day I was making it for a party and was sure that I had mayo in the fridge but alas there was none. By this time I had already shredded a huge amount of cabbage and while poking about the fridge for the mayo I knocked over the tub of raspberry yogurt and that’s how I came up with this!! Licked my fingers and added a shred of cabbage while I contemplated my dilemma. Wow I thought… that tastes kinda good! So I headed to the larder to see what I could add to the concoction and this was the result! I was quite nervous until the first quite fussy guest (Laura) asked “What’s in the coleslaw?” Nervously I replied. “Yum! “, she said… “Who would have thought?” Now to me the colours are just dazzling….sorry you know how I am?

This is so good with pan fried salmon and looks great on the plate together. Once you have eaten cabbage and the juicy coral flesh of salmon together you will know that the cabbage stands up really well to the oiliness of the fish. Ditto with snoek, mackerel and tuna. Of course this is a must with your Christmas Gammon (or Smoked Kasslers) at which time I use cranberries instead of raspberries, since there is always left over cranberry sauce at Christmas)

I was just about to start chopping the cabbage when my stunning coral birthday roses caught my eye and I just had to show you how gorgeous the colour of the cabbage is against the rose...

Raspberry Coleslaw

Baby cabbage green and red - actually it’s the most magnificent opulent purple!!! - Finely shredded (I just used the red this time round)

Couple of spring onions chopped finely

Small chili, seeded and chopped finely (add more if you feel, but you just want a hint of heat here, almost as an after thought) (Kids note!! Please do not touch your eyes after working with chili!!!! – slice the chilli length ways and use knife to scrape out seeds)

Fresh Raspberries chopped

Pomegranate rubies (as I call them)

Mix the cabbage, chilli, spring onions and raspberries.

Add dressing and top with pomegranate rubies.

Dressing.

Tub of raspberry yogurt

Raspberry Vinegar or Berry Juice or Strawberry dressing (salad dressings dept Pick n Pay)

Sweet chilli sauce (optional)

Just thin the yogurt with some raspberry vinegar until it tastes nice and tangy to you. It’s not easy to find raspberry vinegar, and it is quite expensive. So you can use Goedgedaght 100% Strawberry Dressing (Pick n Pay) or maybe some berry juice. It works just as well.

Also if I didn’t add any chilli to the salad I add some sweet chilli sauce to the dressing for a little heat.

Ring the changes:

I have also, on a whim, of course, added some freshly diced plums in place of the raspberries. The salad also works very well with kiwi fruit and then I use kiwi fruit yogurt. Needless to say, that the lime green yogurt, the luminescent green kiwi fruit and the pomegranate rubies together look just spectacular with the purple cabbage.

At times I add a sprinkling of sesame seed to finish it off. Toast them in a dry pan for a few minutes.

Dried Cranberries and Pistachio nuts are also a good combination

Bon Appétit