Purple winter coleslaw isn’t just for winter! We always associate coleslaw with summer BBQs whereas in reality a lot of the vegetables are harvested in autumn and winter. I am lucky to have a local organic veg grower who grows a variety of winter vegetables, one of the more unusual varieties being kohlrabi, also known as German turnips. Kohlrabi is from the cabbage family but raw has the taste of crunchy radish and turnip. If you can’t get hold of kohlrabi just replace it with radish.

• 1/4 red cabbage

• 1/2 kohlrabi (or 6 radish)

• 1/2 medium apple (or 1 small apple)

• 1/2 carrot

• 1/2 red onion

• 1 dsp natural yoghurt

• 1 dsp mayonnaise

• 1/4 tsp mustard

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• 1/2 lemon

• Handful of fresh parsley and/or coriander

• Salt & pepper

For the lovely purple colour in this winter coleslaw I have chosen red cabbage, red onion and a heritage variety of purple carrot. This recipe is just a base for you to work to, vary the vegetables, keeping a cabbage as the main bulk. I have given some different versions for you to try at the end of this post.

On retreat we like to make a light tasting coleslaw that doesn’t just taste of mayonnaise. Supermarket versions seem to be drowning in mayonnaise and you can’t taste any of the vegetables. Use shop bought or homemade mayonnaise and mix with yogurt for a lighter, fresher tasting dressing. You don’t need much, you are dressing the vegetables, not coating them in a thick sauce.

I have hand chopped my vegetables but you can use a mixer with a slicer or grater attachment or a mandolin slicer to get a finely chopped veg.

Method for Purple Winter Coleslaw:

1. Slice cabbage and onion into thin strips. Cut the kohlrabi into match sticks. Grate the carrot and the apple, squeezing a little of the lemon juice over the apple to stop it browning.
2. Mix the veg together, add the mayo, yogurt, mustard, sesame seeds and rest of the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and taste. Adjust the dressing ingredients to your taste (I prefer a strong mustard taste!)
3. Mix in fresh herbs, leaving some to sprinkle on the top.
4. Coleslaw will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days but is best eaten fresh. I find it better to keep the chopped vegetables in the fridge and dress them as you need it, this way the veg stays fresh up to 5 days.

Coleslaw Variations:

• Savoy cabbage, reg cabbage, spring onion, carrot
• Cabbage, beetroot, celery, onion, walnut
• White Cabbage, fennel, onion, flaked almonds

You can always omit the mayo and yogurt for a lighter coleslaw. I like to make Asian slaw with 1 dsp brown rice vinegar, 1 tsp mirin rice wine, 2 dsp black sesame seeds, lots of fresh coriander.

Let me know what variations you have tried and I can add them to the list for others to see!