Let’s not pick a fight. Summer is here. We won’t argue about the calendar, the sun’s position in the sky relative to the equator and its continual northward climb. Let’s not discuss the late, great Prince’s song “Sometimes It Snows In April,” as sometimes it does. To that end we can agree. Yet if it does, I’ll call that a weird summer weather occurrence. Because frankly, I’m already cooking and eating outside. The pump is on in my backyard water feature, so the waterfalls are flowing. So let’s not pick a fight. Let’s make some summer foods.
Now I eat cole slaw all year long, especially with ribs – which are also made all year long around the Turner house. It’s also a regular side dish when we have homemade sub sandwiches, or sausages from Hackenmueller’s or Kramarczuk’s. But the slaw-per-meal ratios will increase dramatically now that (*ahem*) summer is here.
I stumbled across a version of this recipe some years back in Esquire magazine, and the article mentioned the original source, which is the website BeerCook.com. The founder Lucy Saunders has put together a nice collection of tasty stuff, both her own concoctions and those of others. Spend some time there. And if you’re a Vikings fan, cut her some slack on the Wisconsin home zone. As all of us in the MN&WI area know, we DO have a common bond in beer!
Sweet and Sour IPA Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup broccoli slaw
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/3 cup IPA (choose your favorite)
- 1/3 cup sweetened coconut milk
- 1 tsp. lemon juice concentrate
- pinch of salt (garlic salt if you have it)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne
Toss all the shredded veggies and the raisins in a medium bowl. Place IPA, coconut milk, lemon juice concentrate and spices in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until nicely warmed. This is already working with heat, so you’d better finish that bottle of IPA. Give the dressing a taste and adjust the seasonings as you see fit. I like mine a little more spicy, for instance, and will often toss in a little more cayenne and a bit of red pepper flake. Pour the warm dressing over the slaw and toss well. Chill one hour before serving. You can also pull it out of the fridge after chilling, let the slaw warm up and be served at room temperature if that’s your thing. I serve mine in between fridge and room temp, as more of the flavors will come out, but you still get the fresh taste of the cool vegetables.