Purple Chipotle Slaw

So, this is the slaw I served atop pulled smoked pork shoulder on soft corn tortillas this past Memorial Day weekend; I’ve also done it with braised pork shoulder. But as a stand-alone, this would be a welcome side dish at any cookout or picnic, and it’s a good way to feed a crowd—red cabbage is cheap! Plus it takes very little time to throw together.

I recommend making this the night before so that the flavors set up and the cabbage softens into the dressing. The cabbage I used in the recipe below was a little under 2 1/2 pounds; tweak the dressing proportions if yours is significantly bigger or smaller.

Puree in a large bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender:

Once you open a can of chipotles in adobo, the remaining ones will keep, refrigerated, for months; just transfer them from the (rust-prone) can into a glass jar with a lid. I pretty much always have a jar on the side door of my fridge along with mayo, mustard, Tabasco, et al.

• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, seeds removed
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 TBSP agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey
• 2 tsp kosher salt

Toss this dressing with:

• 1 head red cabbage, diced or shredded
• 2-3 scallions, sliced, or 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1-2 TBSP minced cilantro or fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Taste and add more mayo, sweetener, and/or salt as needed.

Again, I suggest refrigerating the slaw overnight in a sealed container. But if you make it the day of a cookout, it will still be good—if anything, letting it sit out in the sun on a picnic table for a couple hours will probably have a positive effect in terms of softening the cabbage. (Disclaimer: If you leave this slaw out in the sun and get sick, Brooklyn Girls Cooking and its affiliates disavow all liability.) Happy summer, everyone!