Thursday, August 7, 2008

Pennsylvania Dutch Pepper Slaw


For generations the Pennsylvania Dutch women in my family have been making pepper slaw and when my friend Debbie of Yummy~Issimo sent out a request for a slaw recipe I immediately thought of this Pennsylvania Dutch Pepper Slaw. She wanted something spicy, and while this is not spicy (most PA Dutch food is not), it can easily be adjusted to individual taste with the addition of diced jalapenos or cayenne pepper flakes.

Here's the recipe as it appeared in Edna Eby Heller's 1968 "The Art of Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking." (My grandma gave me this cookbook in 1980 and her simple inscription inside the front cover still makes me get all misty.)

Pepper Cabbage
4 c. shreded cabbage
1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
1 stem celery, cut fine
1/4 c. grated carrot (opt. and not used in my family)
1 tsp. salt
5 T. sugar
1/2 c. water
5 T. vinegar (apple cider)
Combine all ingredients, mixing well. If refrigerated, will keep well for several days.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

9 comments:

Yummy~issimo! said...

Hi Debbie - Thanks so much for the recipe - I'll try it this weekend and will let you know how it turns out.
Debbie

Lisa Brisch said...

Hi Chef Debbie! I'm going to make this today and use jalapenos instead of the green pepper. I have some cabbage from the local farm so it should be delish! Thanks for the recipe!

Chef Debbie said...

Hi Lisa! Lucky you...fresh cabbage! It's too hot here in the South for fresh cabbage right now. Maybe in October we'll see some. Let me know how the slaw is with the jalapenos and what else you added to it. Everything you make is delicious, and I'm sure it will be too!

Lisa Brisch said...

Debbie - I think I like slaw better with jalapenos rather than bell peppers. I did julienne slices. I should have left some of the rib intact as it wasn't as spicy as I hoped (probably tamed by the sugar). I used 2 jalapenos. I added crushed aleppo pepper flakes to give it some more spice. I just ate some right now and the slaw is as crisp as it was 2 days ago. Thanks for the recipe!

cjozefick said...

I grew up in Mill Hall, PA (PA Dutch country). We used to go to a restaurant in Avis, PA and they served ham and pork BBQ's topped with pepper slaw. It was just the meat and the slaw and they were awesome. I want to make my own with your slaw recipe.

Ray Shaffer said...

Hi Debbie - Thanks for the Pepper Slaw recipe. My grandmither used to make this for us but over the years we lost her recipe. Pepper Slaw goes really well with Hog Maw, another PA Dutch favorite.

Chef Debbie said...

Ray, I'm so glad that this recipe helped you and your family. Yes! My grandmother and now my aunt both make hog maw! Do you make that, too? It is one of my family's favorites!

Ray Shaffer said...

Yes Debbie, I make hog maw a couple of time a year. This winter, I will introduce some of our friends in NC (St.James)to this PA Dutch dish along with the pepper slaw. I will bring the goodies along with me from PA.

Chef Debbie said...

Ray, what time is dinner? :-)