Coleslaw

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 4 tbsp distilled vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp celery seeds
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1 large head green cabbage
• 1 large carrot

Method

Coleslaw depends on two things: a proper emulsification of the dressing and the structure of the cabbage itself. Shred the green cabbage on a food-processor-cooking or mandoline until it's fine enough to bend without snapping — roughly 2mm strips. Do the same with the carrot. Rinse both in cold water, then drain thoroughly in a colander for at least five minutes, pressing gently with your hands. Excess water will dilute the dressing and turn the slaw into a soup within hours.

Make the dressing while the vegetables drain. Whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, both vinegars, and olive oil together until the oils and dairy emulsify into a single, pale, creamy liquid — you'll see the separation vanish as you whisk. This takes two to three minutes. Add the caster sugar and dissolve it fully. Then add salt, black pepper, celery seeds, onion powder, granulated garlic, and mustard powder. Taste it straight: the dressing should balance sharp (from the vinegars and lemon), creamy (from the mayo and buttermilk), and sweet (from the sugar). Adjust salt and acid before you combine anything with the vegetables — once the cabbage absorbs the dressing, seasoning becomes harder to fix.

Toss the cabbage and carrot together in a large bowl, then add the dressing in two stages. Start with half. Using your hands or two spoons, coat every strand evenly — this distributes flavour and prevents pockets of raw vegetable. Add the remaining dressing slowly, mixing as you go. Stop when the slaw glistens and each piece is dressed but not swimming. You may not need all of it, or you may need it all; this depends on how tightly you packed the shred and how dry your drain was.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. This resting period allows the cabbage to soften slightly and the vinegar to penetrate the cell walls, binding the flavours together. The slaw will weep liquid as the salt draws moisture from the vegetable — this is normal and desirable. It'll keep for up to three days, though it becomes progressively softer and the flavour flattens slightly. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar on the day of serving if needed.