red cabbage slaw

i am about to run to book club but i just had to tell you guys really quick about this awesome recipe i just discovered/invented. so i have to be at book club at 7 and at 5:30 i still had not decided what to make. my book club is awesome and actually a lot of times it is more like a food club since we always either eat out or go to someone's house and do it up potluck style. everyone is really into food and we are all great cooks, and usually only about half the people actually read the book at best. (this month's book is the road by cormac mccarthy, in case you are wondering). so book club is kind of a misnomer. but then again, isn't that the whole point of book clubs?

i knew tonight's menu was going to be grilled salmon steaks provided by laura (the host), along with lots of wine, salad, and many desserts: hot milk sponge cake with fresh strawberries, blueberry pie, and homemade peach sorbet. i decided i should bring a side since there were already going to be so many desserts and i was bored of the cheese i always bring.

i started poking around in my fridge and found a head of red cabbage, a bunch of cilantro, some limes and lemons, and an onion. "hmmm... could this be cole slaw?" i wondered. i did some googling and found that indeed it could be. here is my recipe for red cabbage slaw, based on this one from bbq with bobby flay:

juice of one lemon
juice of 1/2 lime
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup canola oil (i am totally guessing on the amount there)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded

mix all ingredients. let sit. eat. die of happiness/deliciousness.

it's a party in your mouth!

i totally love the sweet/savory flavor combo so the honey really makes the slaw in my opinion. i think this recipe would work well with just about any combination of citrus juices. i could also see adding in raisins or something like that but since i am also bringing couscous with raisins in it, i didn't want to overdo it since some people don't like raisins. this should go really well with the salmon i hope. ok, off to book club!