I’m all for celebrating anything and everything.
Celebrations equal fun and joy, and who can turn down more of that on any given day? This is why, though I’m not Irish, St. Patrick’s Day holds a special place in my heart. For years my mom and I would celebrate by dyeing our food green, despite the fact that it's not an actual tenet of the holiday—no disrespect intended to Saint Patrick. We didn't do it Chelsea Clinton-style with puréed spinach, we just used food coloring—lots of it. And we subjected all manner of foods to its artificial tint: scrambled eggs, pancakes, mashed potatoes, even boxed macaroni and cheese (perhaps I have Dr. Seuss to blame for thinking this was an appropriate thing to do to food?).
These days I’m still into celebrating St. Patrick’s day with green food, but I now prefer naturally colored ones, like this celery leaf-studded Irish soda bread, herb-laden rice, and cabbage—lots and lots of cabbage.
And if you make a batch or two of Green Cabbage Slaw (Krautsalut)—a slightly crunchy, slaw-sauerkraut hybrid—you too can be well on your way to enjoying slightly green food all week long. Here are 7 ideas to get you started:
- Serve it alongside corned beef and potatoes.
- Layer it on a sandwich: a Reuben works of course, but try other sandwiches too, like a vegan sloppy joe.
- Use it to top hot dogs—this bright pickled slaw might have you rethinking ever topping one with shelf-stable kraut again.
- Add it to a grain or green salad, or try one of Editor Ali Slagle's pressed salad combinations: Cucumber in half-moons + grated green cabbage + thinly sliced fennel + thinly sliced celery + grated ginger + cilantro (skipping the cabbage, as you'll just add in your slaw once the other ingredients are pressed).
- Top tacos with it (maybe fish tacos, or lentil walnut) and don't forget the guacamole.
- Make a batch of sauerkraut soup.
- Cook the slaw along with some mushrooms and use it as a filling for pierogi.
How do you like to use slaw/sauerkraut?
Written by: Lindsay-Jean Hard
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