I have a slight love / hate relationship with autumn, it is sad to see the end of summer, but I love the change of the season, the change in the air and the turning of the leaves, but the weather is unprerdictable and I never know what to wear and am usually too hot, too cold or am wearing the wrong shoes when there is a downpour and end up with sodden feet. Even though I have been out of full education for over 14 years, the start of the academic year in autumn to me still seems to be a time for new beginnings, when you still have fresh memories of the summer, when days are still relatively long and sometimes warm and sunny it is somehow more conducive to starting afresh or with new intentions than it is at the start of January.
During October I thoroughly enjoy feeling that summer is not going to give up without a fight; yesterday I sat outside with a friend at the Saatchi gallery for coffee enjoying the sun, wondering if it was going to be the last time we sat outside for a drink this year. Today was another glorious day, I know summer has ended really, but it still having one last kick after the clocks have changed.
With autumn in the air, I had started to think about non summery food and had bought my first cabbage of the year, properly cooked cabbage is delicious, badly over-cooked cabbage is horrible, and an anathema to any right thinking persons taste-buds, sadly many of us have spent formative years suffering institutionalised cooking of cabbage.
However; enough of autumn and badly cooked cabbage, the only vegetables that I had today were cabbage and carrots and I knew that I did not want them cooked with my lunch, so I made a late summer (early autumn) salad of a horseradish and mustard coleslaw, simple, crunchy and the perfect dish for between the seasons and perfect for lunch. This is barely a recipe – more of a flavour guide.
Last Salad of Summer – Horseradish and Mustard Coleslaw (serves 2)
2 Carrots – grated
1/6 Small Cabbage – shredded
1 tbs mayonnaise
1 tsb horseradish sauce
1 tsb grain mustard
Mix carrots and cabbage into a bowl, in another smaller bowl mix the mayonnaise, horseradish and mustard and dilute with approximately the same volume of just boiled water to the consistency of double cream, pour over the cabbage / carrot mix and mix well so the vegetables are coated wtih sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I garnished this with Omega seed sprinkles, a mix of hemp, sumflower and pumpkin seeds roughly chopped in the spice grinder.
I made coleslaw as one of my first salads of this bout of warm days – just finished it – enjoyed it with cranberries and mustard – I know what you mean about the change of seasons – it brings so many memories and so much potential for me too