Cranberries give summer salad a little crunch

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, July 6, 2004

Renwned cookbook author Marion Cunningham, recipient of a James Beard lifetime achievement award, talks fondly of the good times that naturally occur when friends and food, cooking and eating, come together.

She’s an advocate of sharing recipes and leisurely, sociable meals, as opposed to today’s all-too-common “gobble and go” mealtime habits.

Among the recipes she likes to share is this colorful cranberry-walnut slaw. Cunningham says she got the recipe several years ago from a friend.

“I’ve passed the recipe along to friends who say it’s great to bring to summer picnics.”

The two-cabbage slaw, unlike mayonnaise-based dressings, has a cider vinaigrette dressing that makes it crisp and light. Dried cranberries and sugar give sweet flavor, and walnuts add crunchy texture and a nutrition bonus.

Cranberry and walnut coleslaw

Dressing:

1/3cup cider vinegar

1/3cup vegetable oil

1/3cup sugar

1teaspoon celery seed

Coleslaw:

1cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1cup dried cranberries

2cups red cabbage, finely sliced

2cups green cabbage, finely sliced

1/4cup thinly sliced red onion

Mix the dressing ingredients together.

Put the coleslaw ingredients into a bowl and toss with the dressing. Cover and let refrigerate about 3 hours before serving. Stir and drain off all liquid before serving.

Note: The slaw keeps for about 5 days, covered and refrigerated. It is very good with roast chicken and cornbread.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 366.3 cal., 4 g pro., 35.1 g carbo., 3.7 g fiber, 25.4 g total fat (2.1g saturated), 0 mg chol., 9.9 mg sodium.