Spotlighting pork for October was not a hard decision. I loved featuring Blaine Bilyeu, the owner of Papa’s Pasture, who can really “farm like a girl”. Recommending some sweet treats that parents will love for the Halloween crowd also made me feel really good about the posts this month. But when all was said and done, Pulled Pork, Ginger and Beer Baby Backs, and Bacon Candy, left me… kinda hungry. Not much here for the vegetarian, I thought.
And then, green apples came in at market. Not just any green apples—Granny Smiths from Daydream Farm—my all-time favorite. I was already planning to serve a slaw with the pulled pork, but now my creative apple juices were really flowing. I started with a recipe suggested by my BFF Mary Lynn and ended up with a fall slaw that even had Don asking for seconds.
One thing to note: Mary Lynn had sent me a gift of a delicious white balsamic vinegar that is laced with honey and ginger, produced by Monadnock Oils and Vinegars of New Hampshire. (I know I’ve mentioned this company before.) She suggested using it here instead of the original vinegar suggestion, and, of course, she was correct. The Monadnock white balsamic added an extra layer of subtle flavor that simple vinegar would not. If you can’t find a similar product, try the Artisan Fermented Honey from Glorybee Foods that was featured in September’s New Hope Blogger Box of Recommended Products. You’ll need to add about a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, and I would suggest trimming the sugar to two tablespoons… or maybe even leaving it out, since this dressing ends up very sweet as it is.
Ingredients
- Five cups cabbage (An even mix of red and green works really well here.)
- One-half cup dried cranberries
- One-third cup white balsamic vinegar infused with honey and ginger
- One-quarter cup raw sugar (or even less, if you prefer a less sweet slaw)
- Two tablespoons rice vinegar
- One tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Two large Granny Smith apples cored and chopped or sliced, as you wish for presentation
- One-half cup chopped raw pecans (Toasted and salted pumpkin seeds are another nice fall option here.)
Instructions
- Combine the cabbage and cranberries in a large bowl. Whisk the vinegars, sugar, olive oil and seasonings in a small bowl; then, pour over the cabbage and cranberries, tossing well to distribute the dressing. Cover and chill for two hours or more, but no longer than eight.
- Before serving, add the apples, tossing to combine, and sprinkle with pecans.
Notes
The prep time includes chilling the cabbage mixture. This really comes together quickly and can be done mostly ahead to make things easier, if you are having a get together.
Don really loved this slaw as a topper for the pulled pork. I thought it was equally good just on its own. Not to mention, this is an incredibly healthy dish, even with the sugar, which you could leave out, if you were so inclined.
