Shaved Cabbage, Kohlrabi, and Carrot Slaw

Raw, raw, raw. All I crave in the summer are vegetables in their purest states. The trick for a fine raw slaw is to shave the vegetables as thinly as you can. Here, I eschew the traditional mayonnaise-based sauce in favor of a garlicky, peppery vinaigrette. Allowing the vegetables to marinate in the dressing for a few hours will serve you well, as they’ll break down a bit and absorb much more flavor. This recipe requires a few cheats—fermented plum vinegar, sesame oil, and tahini, which are, of course, not local. But I find it’s well worth the splurge.

Recipe from The Call of the Farm: An Unexpected Year of Getting Dirty, Home Cooking, and Finding Myself copyright© Rochelle Bilow, 2014. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.

1. Finely shave the vegetables, using either a box grater or the grater attachment of a food processor.

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegars, tahini, and pepper. Slowly stream in the oils, whisking the whole time. Add the cut vegetables and use a spoon to coat them completely with the vinaigrette. Taste, and adjust seasoning if desired (I find the ume vinegar imparts enough of a salty taste for me, but you may certainly add salt).

   Let marinate for at least one hour, preferably more, and finish with fresh parsley when it’s time to serve. I think this tastes best at room temperature.