Home made coleslaw

For what has seemed like a mind numbing eternity-like period of time, I have been fervently awaiting the much acclaimed Mother Nature to work her green fingered enchantments over all of the teensy weeny delicately fragile seeds that I have long been unnaturally mothering.

Burgeoning with impregnated life my dilapidated greenhouse works tirelessly to nurture the upbringing of my widely diversified vegetable family. Like a strict but fair Victorian nanny she educates, disciplines and encourages the infant seedlings to grow into perfect examples of their species by providing them with a safe and established environment that propels them into the fore front of vegetable growing society.

My loose leafed lettuces are now heading towards their terrible twos, whilst maintaining their ferocious growth rate they are commanding my undivided attention, one minute looking limp, lifeless and ready for the unceremonious journey to that of our chickens bellies to the next minute where they are bursting with photosynthesis tic greenness that not only attracts my attention but that of our neighbouring slugs too.

I will not bore you again about my admirable affection for the tangible taste of my lovely lettuces but their catalytic arrival signifies the beginning of a mostly home grown summer. The first fan like leaves of the slightly underdeveloped home grown lettuce ensues a longed for celebration that cannot be replicated with the opening of a salad bag from your local supermarket.

I’m often asked if it’s worth it, Is it really worth all the backbreaking weeding, all the late night tucking in of the frost tender plants, the weeks and time consuming months spent caring and nursing something which can be destroyed by violently hungry pests or  wicked disease in a matter of minutes? -I have to admit two years ago I asked myself the same questions, but as soon as that first taste hits your senses are sent into an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction that warmly eases its self over you and makes all things seem good in the world.

If I was left to my own devices a scattering of a varied selection of salad leaves would need no more than a generous  glug of extra virgin olive oil but my husband a.k.a  ‘The Condiment King’ prefers his salads to be excessively dressed with an array of multi- talented type sides.
 Salad creams, potato salads and an array of intercontinental vinegars all make a guest appearance over his salad plate but his ultimate superstar side dish that always makes an overbearing appearance is coleslaw.

Coleslaw and I have long been in mutual distaste of one another, yet it always magically seems to materialize in my shopping trolley winking at me with its many unnatural preservatives and its remarkable fluorescent colourings. I have fought long and hard to give this sickeningly factory made razor thin shaved salad an ASBO from my kitchen but whenever I turned my back it seems to multiple like a bacteria feeding of my repulsive rage.

The only way to win this fight was to fight fire with fire and make my own raw perilously chopped style dish, and yes it may involve me slicing and dicing up a batch twice a week, but it’s worth it not to have those lurid and countless e – numbers goading me every time I opened the fridge into a petty and pointless argument with the husband about how it got there in the first place.

I’m not totally adverse to all things factory made for example I like tea bags instead of loose leaf tea and not that I’m likely to shout about it but my penchant for a top class free range pork sausage slathered in tomato sauce is a personal treat unlike no other. But there are times when home-made is best, time consuming yes and I have had to say an oath that makes me stick to the coleslaw loving monsters set of guide lines on how he particularly likes the shape and thickness of the vegetables to be, but it has been worth it. An over rated accompaniment that once use to give me the shivers now has me turned into a salad loving accessory monster myself.


Homemade coleslaw

Half a small white cabbage – sliced as finely as your fingers will forgive you for
Half a small red cabbage – sliced again as above
Half a red onion – peeled and finely sliced
1 English apple – sliced into fine matchsticks
1 small carrot – sliced into fine matchsticks
The juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
2 tablespoons homemade or shop bought mayonnaise (For a good mayonnaise recipe see here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/homemademayonnaise_67195)
1 handful golden sultanas.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and combine well – yes it really is that easy!
Chill until needed.