Green Apple Fennel Slaw

  Confession time... I've never, ever been a fan of two of the main staples of the BBQ world - cole slaw and potato salad.  They've struck me as mealy, soggy mayonnaise delivery devices.  If I want some mayo, I'll just jam a spoon down in the Hellman's and go at it.  That's just me.  So, I started searching for a suitable substitute for cole slaw a long time ago.  I don't recall the original recipe that inspired me, but one day I started working with green apples.  What a great day that turned out to be.  I learned that cole slaw could be bright, crunchy, sweet and savory all at the same time.  All you need are some apples and fennel and the rest is easy. 

Outside of some readily available ingredients, the most important ingredient in this recipe is a mandoline with a julienne blade.  Maybe you are a knife skills master and can bust out brunoise and julienne in a hot minute, but I can't.  Running the Granny Smith apples and  fennel through the mandoline will save you hours, not minutes, in this recipe.

Here's the mise en place for your Green Apple Fennel Slaw:

2 Granny Smith apples, 1 bulb fennel (green tops removed), 2 tablespoons creme fraiche, sour cream, or mayonaise, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar,  1 tablespoon poppy seed, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Here's the method:

Quarter (removing the center) or core your apples and run them through the mandoline with the julienne blade.  Remove the green tops from the fennel and run it through the mandoline with the julienne setting.  Since the apples will oxidize quickly, make sure you have an acid (cider vinegar or lemon juice) ready to toss with apples and fennel and do so immediately.  This will prevent browning of your product.  Combine the apple and fennel in a bowl with the remainder of your ingredients and taste.  At this point, your goal is to balance out your salt, sugar, acid, and cream.  My measurements are only provided as a guideline.  I always put this recipe together by taste and not by measurement.  If the slaw lacks tang, add an acid.  If it is dull and not overly salt, add some salt.  The slaw should have a creamy mouth feel.  If it doesn't add some creamy product, be it sour cream, mayo, or otherwise.

This slaw pairs beautifully with anything porcine.  If there is one truth in the universe, it's that pig loves apple.  It's as sure as sunrise.  My favorite part of this slaw is the brightness and the crunch.  I hope you like it as well.  If you take a run at this recipe, please visit us again and leave a comment to let us all know how it went. 

Comments

[Patrick Hopkins]

Sounds wonderful! Can't wait to try this next week. Thanks for sharing.

[Sarah]

Great recipe - big hit. However, the mayo taste was too overwhelming (I used what I had on hand) - next time I'll try creme fraiche or reduce the amount overall.