I’ve been eating very simply over the last couple of weeks. Boiled eggs and soldiers. Yoghurt and honey. Rice and broth. Olive oil omelettes. Celery sticks and apple chunks.
Although that may sound drab, dreary and oh so very “January”, it has actually been anything but. It was a conscious decision made out of necessity (for reasons I won’t bore you with), but there was unexpected pleasure in the simplicity. It was hugely grounding for my fatigued and overwhelmed appetite.
But, for me, even the simplest of bowls/plates require acidity and crunch, and that’s how this slaw came about. At a cursory glance of the ingredients list, it may not seem like much but it is, somehow, so much more than the sum of its parts. Perhaps it’s the combination of carrots and caraway. Perhaps it’s the ability of a ferment to give that unique something-something.
Tangled nests of slaw have made their way onto the aforementioned toasts, broths, omelettes and more. It’s a possible topper whopper for whatever delights you’re making this month, simple or otherwise.
Carrot and kraut slaw - my current topper whopper of choice
2 carrots
100g sauerkraut, plus a splash of the sauerkraut brine
50g pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp caraway seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
Cut the carrots into thin matchsticks or julienne with one of those nifty julienne peelers or a mandolin (be careful of your fingies!). In a mixing bowl, toss the carrots with the sauerkraut, a small splash of sauerkraut brine (about a tablespoon to start), salt and pepper.
Put the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Fry for 5 minutes until starting to turn golden and pop, shimmying the pan every so often to toast the seeds evenly. Add the caraway seeds and fry for another minute or two until fragrant then tip into the carrot and kraut bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil, toss and taste for seasoning, adding another splash of brine if you like.
Bits & bobs
Fall in love with radicchio
Not forgetting the other bitter leaves too