Hot Slaw

There is a story to this recipe.  If you do or do not know, I'm a huge fan of coleslaw.....any coleslaw, even yukky grocery store deli coleslaw.  Put it in front of me and I'll eat it.  But when you get a good one (and if you, too, are a slaw aficionado), you so appreciate it.

There's a little market I go to and one day when I was in, the woman working was eating lunch.   Something smelled good and I asked what was for lunch.  She had picked up a sandwich and brought some "Hot Slaw" a friend of her's had made.  I asked "What is hot slaw?  Is it hot by temp or by spice?"  It's spice.....specifically jalapenos.  She didn't have the recipe and I asked if she could get and "Bless Her Heart," she did.

She told me she had also had hot slaw at a local BBQ joint (Couch's on Old Lee Hwy in Chattanooga) and really likes it also.  Before she gave me the recipe, I went by Couch's and picked up a container of theirs.  It was more of a condiment (has the consistency of prepared horseradish), but they wouldn't tell me what the "heat" was (jalapenos? cayenne?) and that only two people would be in the kitchen when they made it (BIG secret recipe).  I bought some and, indeed, it is good, but not as an edible side dish.  It's more of a condiment to put on a pulled-pork sandwich or hot dog.  I really liked the other better as it's one you can (adjusting the heat to your tolerance) eat as a side dish.

So, if you like a bite to your coleslaw or want a really good addition to your sandwich, hamburger, hot dog, etc., give this a shot.  I think this must be a regional recipe as I have never seen it anywhere else.  And I mean really regional as in Chattanooga, TN, because I've had plenty of BBQ in these parts and have never seen this anywhere else.

Now, a few notes about the ingredients.  I'll post the original recipe as it was given to me.  The head of cabbage I got was a smaller one so I ended up using 1 cup of mayo (1/2 cup regular and and a 1/2 cup of reduced-fat) and the full 1/2 cup of mustard.  Her recipe calls for using a 16 oz jar of  pickled jalapenos (and she sometimes uses 24 ounces), but my grocer just carried 12 oz jars and for me, that was plenty!  As a condiment, I would use the 12 oz, but if I want it as a side dish, I'd cut that down to maybe 6 oz and just a tablespoon or two of the juice.  So depending on how you want to use it, you may want to adjust the ingredients, especially the jalapenos.

HOT SLAW (makes about 8 cups slaw using a small head of cabbage)

1 head of cabbage
1 (16 oz) jar of sliced, hot, pickled jalapeno peppers, drained, but reserve 1/4 cup juice
1/2 of a small onion (optional, not!)
1 to 1 1/2 cups mayo
1/4 to 1/2 cup mustard
3-4 Tbsp salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp black pepper (optional, again, not!), or to taste

Cut up the cabbage and put in a food processor using the blade, not the shredder.  Chop into small pieces using the pulse button.  This may take two or three times to get it all chopped.  Put the cabbage into a big bowl until all the cabbage is chopped.  Add S&P to taste.

Drain the jalapenos, saving a 1/4 cup of the juice.  Add the peppers, onions, and juice to the processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Mix the mayo in the cabbage a little at a time until it starts to come together.   Mix in the mustard just until the slaw turns yellow color, then mix in the peppers and onion.  You may have to add a little more mayo or mustard depending on your taste. 

This will keep at least 2 weeks, the peppers and juice help it last longer.

(Sometimes Donna uses a jar and a half of peppers)

Recipe Source:  From the Kitchen of Donna Brown, Chattanooga, Tennnessee (thank you, Donna!)