Mid-Summer Slaw with Roquefort

One salad that is often seen on a picnic buffet in the summer is coleslaw.  I can see why so many people love it due to its creamy dressing and cooling effect on the body.  However, when I was younger I didn't have a taste for it.  Even now as an adult, it has to be really good coleslaw in order for me to eat it, or at least the creamy homestyle kind.  I am all about the ones made with light Asian dressing.  It is the heavyness of the loads of mayonnaise in most classic recipes I don't care for.  Which is exactly why when my Mom said I should make some classic coleslaw for her, and I agreed, I tweaked the recipe quite a bit. 

First off, I figured if it was going to have richness it wasn't going to come from the mayonnaise so I added some local roquefort style cheese to it.  I love how it adds so much flavor without having to add a large amount.  Second, I made a vegannaise based dressing and laced it with lemon nstead of the usual vinegar to keep it summery and added some honey for sweetness instead of the large amount of sugar in most recipes.  Fresh herbs were a must as well, so I picked some basil and chervil from my patio and added them for freshness.  I thought it was delicious, the best creamy slaw I have ever tasted!  The roquefort giving it that something special that other slaws do not have.  The big test however was if my Mom would approve...and she did!  She told me that I would need to make this a few more times before summer is over.  I have included the recipe if you would like to try my version of creamy coleslaw.

Mid-Summer Slaw with Roquefort

Serves 4-6

Slaw:

1/2 1 small red cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 1 small green cabbage, thinly sliced
 3 medium carrots, cut julienne
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chervil, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled roquefort cheese

Dressing:
1/4 cup vegannaise
juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp honey
1 garlic clove, minced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, shallot, basil, chervil, and roquefort.  In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until smooth, then pour over the slaw and toss well to coat.  Serve chilled.