~Crunchy & Creamy Island-Style Jerk-Seasoned Slaw~
Coleslaw -- creamy and crunchy, sweet, savory and nicely-spiced, coleslaw is a make-my-day side-dish and my favorite sloppy-sandwich topper. There's more. By swapping out a few herbs and spices, coleslaw, "the chameleon of side-dishes", any coleslaw recipe can be prepared to complement any cuisine. How convenient is that. I came up with this version to serve with Jamaican-style jerk fare. This simple, lip-smacking recipe has got a bit of coat-your-throat heat.
Herein lies the secret to my jerk-seasoned slaw:
Leave it to the Jamaicans. I can't think of another exotic-to-me cuisine that does a better job of making my life easier. I mean, seriously, they've cornered the market on marketing high-quality, bold-flavored dry-spice blends and rubs, wet pastes and marinades, barbecue, steak and hot pepper sauces, etc. -- when it comes to cooking Jamaican fare at home, some of their store-bought time-savers make me ponder why anyone would want to concoct "it" from scratch. Example: A high-quality jerk barbecue sauce can transform a dollop of mayonnaise into a flavor bomb with one squirt. Therein lies the secret to the dressing for my jerk-seasoned slaw.
4 ounces bagged matchstick carrots (about 2 cups)
4 ounces very-thinly-sliced (shaved) red onion (about 1 cup)
1 cup mayonnaise, chilled
1/4 cup Jamaican jerk BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon malt vinegar
1 teaspoon mild molasses
1/2 teaspoon Scotch bonnet pepper
Note about adding pineapple: I love pineapple as much as anyone, and, occasionally I add 1 1/2 cups diced pineapple to this recipe. It's scrumptious. That said, pineapple contains an enzyme (bromelian) that is a powerful tenderizer. Experience has taught that when adding pineapple to this slaw, unless you want coleslaw with a funked-up texture, it needs to be folded in just prior to serving (1-2 hours is ok). To learn more, read my post ~ Fresh vs. Canned: How Pineapple Reacts w/Proteins ~.
~Step 1. Slice red onion as directed, cut into half-moon shapes, then cut half-moons into thirds. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, jerk barbecue sauce, malt vinegar, molasses and Scotch bonnet pepper. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in coleslaw, carrots and onion. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Overnight is best. Serve chilled.
Try my Island-Style Jerk-Seasoned Salsa, piled high on...
... my Jerk-Style Chicken & Slaw on Coco Bread Sandwich:
Crunchy & Creamy Island-Style Jerk-Seasoned Slaw: Recipe yields 5-6 cups coleslaw.
Special Equipment List: cutting board; chef's knife; whisk; large rubber spatula
Cook's Note: In Jamaica, they make a dish called coconut rice and peas -- it's usually served as an accompaniment to Caribbean-style chicken- or shrimp- curry dishes and jerk-seasoned meats. This is sort of not it. This is my twist on it. In my recipe for ~ Island-Style Bejeweled Coconut & Black Bean Rice ~, I substitute black beans for pigeon peas (because I adore black beans), then, at the end, I bejewel it with the sweet flavors of ginger, mango, papaya and pineapple.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)
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