Cilantro Lime Slaw

Slaws are often relegated to my sad side category; nothing terrible, yet nothing terribly exciting.  As a slaw skeptic, my common BBQ practice is to bypass the slaw in favor of more enticing sides.  Why waste coveted paper-plate space on a bowl of shredded cabbage  when faced with juicy slices of watermelon or bacon potato salads?!?  I recently, however, discovered this cilantro lime slaw and am reconsidering my classification of slaw as a sad side.

This cilantro lime slaw is not only a crunchy and refreshing condiment for pulled pork or fish tacos, it is an amazing side all on its own.  I recently served this slaw as the perfect accompaniment for green chili cheeseburgers and a warm Mexican street corn salad, and then piled the leftovers on grilled fish tacos the following night.

Confession of a *wannabe* foodie…. Although this slaw has initiated my conversion, I still don’t love all slaws, but I will now at least give them a try!

CILANTRO LIME SLAW
adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 minced cloves of garlic
1 minced serrano chili (seeded)
1 thinly sliced poblano chili (seeded)
8-10 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (1 medium head of green cabbage)
6 green onions
½ cup chopped cilantro

PREP:
In a small bowl, whisk together: mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, and minced serrano chili.

In a medium bowl, stir together: sliced cabbage, sliced poblano chili, green onions, and chopped cilantro.

Pour the  dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss until well coated.  Refrigerate the slaw for an hour or up to 1 day.

SERVE:
Squeeze fresh lime juice and season with salt and pepper, as needed, prior to serving.

Blackberry Lime Sorbet

For the love of blackberry…. and lime.

It is a happy day, a true sign of summer, when berries dominate the fruit display at the grocery stores.  Hoards of strawberries, heaps of blueberries and mounds of raspberries, but blackberries?  Where are the blackberries and why are they always in those teeny-tiny containers?

This summer we are participating in the Fresh Gatherings Harvest, a community supported agriculture (CSA) program run through the nutrition and dietetics department at Saint Louis University.  We purchase our “share” (or half-share; $17.50 per week) at the beginning of the season and receive our “product” (produce) throughout the spring/summer/fall.  This is an incredibly easy and convenient way to purchase seasonal fruits and veggies from local farmers.   In a quick 5 minute stop, we have a crate full of produce for the week and the backbone of a seasonal weekly menu!  In addition, the crate often includes fruits and veggies that I might not normally find or buy at the grocery store… like blackberries!

Oh the blackberries!

While the blackberries rarely last a day in our house… I resisted all temptation for the love of blackberry and lime sorbet!

Tart, tangy, and tasty… this is a perfect summer treat!

Confession of a *wannabe* foodie… I consider it a miracle when the blackberries survive the ride home!

Blackberry Lime Sorbet

Ingredients:
2 pints of blackberries
1 cup simple syrup (cooled)*
1 lime (zest and juice)

*Simple Syrup: In a saucepan, over medium heat, dissolve equal parts sugar and water (1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar, or 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar, etc.).

PREP:
Wash and puree 2 pints of blackberries (I use an immersion blender).  Strain the blackberry puree through a fine mesh sieve (blackberries are very seedy!).  Add the zest and juice of one lime and one cup of cooled simple syrup to the pureed blackberries.

FREEZE:
Pour the mixture into an ice cream freezer and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Serve immediately or freeze or later!  If you freeze the sorbet for later, let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.