Wash Cabbage for Cole Slaw
As young cabbage leaves grow and push up from the soil, they have a tendency to trap small particles of dirt and debris. Trapped debris from the field can include small rocks, pieces of sand and even dead insects. When unwashed cabbage is used raw in a cole slaw or salad, the particles can give the dish an undesirable, grainy texture. Thoroughly wash cabbage to remove unwanted grit while maintaining a crisp texture for cole slaw.
Instructions
1. Peel off any of the cabbage's outer leaves that are dark green or wilting.
2. Make a circular cut approximately 2 inches deep around the base of the cabbage head with the tip of a chef's knife.
3. Set the knife down and twist the dense cabbage core with your fingers until it releases from the head.
4. Discard the core and set the cabbage head on a cutting board.
5. Slice the cabbage head in half lengthwise then proceed to cut both halves into narrow 1/8-inch strips.
6. Dump a tray of ice into a large bowl and fill it to the halfway point with cold water.
7. Slide the cabbage strips off the cutting board and into a colander.
8. Lower the colander full of cabbage strips into the large bowl of iced water.
9. Add cold water to the bowl if there is not enough to completely submerge all the pieces of cabbage.
10. Stir the pieces in the cold water with your fingertips and allow them to soak for 10 minutes.
11. Lift the colander above the bowl and let it drain away the excess water for a minute.
12. Dump the clean cabbage onto a counter or table covered by two clean kitchen towels.
13. Lift the corners of the towels to form a sack that holds all the cabbage strips.
14. Gently shake the kitchen towel sack to remove as much moisture as possible from the surface of the cabbage.
Tags: , cabbage strips, cold water, Cabbage Cole, Cabbage Cole Slaw, Cole Slaw, cole slaw