Cold or Warm Cabbage Salad

Grilling Season is here and 4th of July Celebrations are only a week away, so I thought I'd post a recipe from Austria, that will give you an alternative to the true and sometimes tired Cole Slaw everyone serves with BBQ.

A "Krautsalat" or Cabbage Salad is something you would find everywhere in Austria, maybe even Bavaria and it just goes great with any kind of grilled meat, but especially well with ribs and sausages. You can even prepare it a day in advance and it's going to be even better.

Krautsalat, is somewhere in between a Cole Slaw and a Sauerkraut, it's not entirely raw, but also not cooked fully. Its still crunchy! It's slightly tangy, but not sour like Sauerkraut, it has a refreshing taste and isn't loaded with Mayo! I think you'll have to try and you will love it.

Here is what you need:

1 1/4 lbs of finely cut white cabbage
3 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
6 TBSP Vegetable Oil
1 TSP Cumin
1 TSP Salt
2 fl oz water

Bacon bits (optional)

Place the finely cut cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt and mix well with your hands (kinda knead it a bit like a dough), let stand in the fridge for about an hour.

Then again, using your clean hands, squeeze out some of the liquid and drain the excess water.

Mix the water, vinegar and cumin and bring to a boil. Then pour the vinegar mixture over the cabbage and add the oil, mix well and maybe add some pepper if you like. Or toss in some bacon bits and serve with your favorite BBQ.

 You can make this the day before and just do the marinade the day of the BBQ.

A variation to this is a warm version, it differs from it in the way that the cabbage is blanched/boiled. And it definitely calls for the bacon.

You'll need:

1 1/4 finely cut white cabbage
3 oz of smoked bacon cut in small cubes
4 oz water or soup stock (any kind you like)
3 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
3 TBSP Vegetable Oil
1 TSP Cumin
Salt

As in the previous recipe, add the cabbage to a bowl, sprinkle with salt and knead. Set aside. Bring the stock or water, the cumin and vinegar to a boil, then add the cabbage and let cooking the covered pot at a rolling boil for about a few minutes. Remove and drain the excess liquid.

While it is boiling, render your bacon in a pan, then pour all of it (even the fat) over the cabbage, add the vegetable oil and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste and serve!

Delicious!

Baby Blues BBQ

BEST BBQ in LA! Hands down! Baby Blues BBQ on Lincoln Blvd. in Venice is the place to eat BBQ on the Westside. We do go there ALL the time and never ate anything we didn't love. Everything they have on the menu is fantastic. It's hard to choose really, so I just tell you what I like the most, eat the most and can't have enough of.

Usually we start out with the "Suicide King", which consist of a base of delicious homemade cornbread, topped with coleslaw and shrimp grilled to perfection and some kind of secret sauce. OMG! Delicious! You try it once and you are hooked.

My Favorite the Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich! The crunchy toasted bun it comes on, is loaded up with fresh pulled pork and coleslaw, oh and you get a nice big pickle with it too. Use some of the infused vinegar you find on the tables to drizzle on your sammie and if you like it HOT, use their XXX sauce. Your taste buds will thank you!

The Baby Backs oh WOW! Can't go wrong with those, so tender they practically fall of the bone. And ten they also have Beef Ribs, for all those that don't eat pork or just love beef. They are huge, I'm not kidding either. It's really hard to not order the whole menu.

If you want sides.... The Mac'nCheese is heavenly! Nice creamy, cheesy, gooey deliciousness!

There are lunch specials starting at $10 during weekdays, but even when coming on weekends, it won't break your bank to eat there. Best BBQ on the Westside for a price that can fit in anyones budget!

Look just go to Baby Blues BBQ, try it and fall in love with the place and thank me later!