One of the best things about hosting a crowd in the summertime is that you can serve lots of cold, refreshing side dishes to accompany the main protein. In the summer heat, it’s actually nice to have some cold elements on the plate to pair with your steak, burger, or fish. And another great bonus is that lots of cold dishes actually get more flavourful as they sit, such as cabbage slaw or potato salad (click here for a delicious PEI baby potato salad with fresh peas and a lemon-dill vinaigrette). Keep in mind, however, that green salads should not be dressed ahead of time! They got soggy and mushy, and your guests will not be impressed.
One of my favourite side dishes to serve in the summer is cabbage slaw! I’ve got all sorts of variations on this dish, but generally I stick to an acidic dressing, with vinegar or citrus as the base. We could sit around and argue all day on whether acidic or creamy slaws are better…or you can just put your mayo where your mouth is and try my slaw! And thennnnn we can talk (comment section below please!)
To mix up my slaw game, I like to add different ingredients besides just cabbage! Today, I’m adding red onions (of course) and radish to my slaw for a peppery and colourful component, but you can also add shaved Brussel sprouts, carrots, beets, or even daikon! I absolutely love making slaws out of anything I’ve got kicking around in the fridge, because they are the perfect accompaniment to any meal, and they’re really healthy (well at least my acidic version is, cough* cough*)!
Cabbage and Radish Slaw with Lemon-Maple Vinaigrette
Total time: 10 minutes
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6 as a side (per half of large cabbage)
Ingredients
1/2 cabbage head, sliced very thinly
1/2 red onion, sliced very thinly
6 radishes, sliced into rounds very thinly
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. grainy Dijon mustard
2 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
1. Slice all of the vegetables very thinly with either a knife or a mandolin. Combine all vegetables in large bowl
2. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and salt
3. Poor vinaigrette over slaw and combine well. Cover and let sit in fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving
Labels: Party Ideas, Salads, Sides
