Unexpected Coleslaw Find

I was at my parents’ house recently when I noticed my mom’s shelf of cookbooks. I realized that my mom had a cookbook on wild game, and I was curious to see what it recommended regarding wild duck preparation. My brother, Chris, recently returned from a hunting trip with my Uncle Phil in Louisiana. He brought home several wild duck breasts and some homemade duck/venison/pork/whatever sausage. I was excited to read the author’s thoughts on preparing the wild duck. Well, to my surprise, I ended up flipping to a page in the back (must’ve been the side-dish section) about Coleslaw.

Now, I realize that it isn’t exactly coleslaw season, but the recipe immediately caught my eye because it included fennel. I am not a huge fan of traditional creamy coleslaw, so I am always looking for new recipes that deviate a bit from the traditional. Fennel is one of my favorite vegetables. I think it is the most under-appreciated vegetable. The texture is reminiscent of celery and the taste is of very mild black licorice. It is terrific raw, but it is also dreamy when roasted or braised. I am sure there are a million ways to prepare fennel- what is your favorite? So when I saw this recipe, I thought - why not coleslaw?

My refrigerator is brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables that need to be used up – so lucky for me, I had nearly all the ingredients on hand to throw this dish together except the fennel seeds. I do think this coleslaw would benefit from the addition of fennel seeds (the recipe creator must have known what s/he was doing!). However, if you are skittish about too much licorice flavor, maybe it is better to leave them out. My dad, who is the ultimate coleslaw fan and taste-tester, pronounced this recipe “quite good”. I don’t think it was a 5-star rating; however, my dad is so obsessed with another coleslaw that I make that I am not sure any recipe could live up to it. Don’t worry; I will share that recipe with you in the future.

Millie hoped I would share some coleslaw with her, but instead she got a dog treat. How could I resist her face?

Wildwood Fennel Coleslaw

adapted from Wild About Game: 150 Recipes for Cooking Farm-Raised and Wild Game - from Alligator and Antelope to Venison and Wild Turkey (Hardcover)
by Janie Hibler

Serves 6-8

1 small head cabbage

1 small fennel bulb

2 carrots, peeled & grated

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 T fennel seeds, toasted and ground

3/4 t salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Removed the tough outer leaves of the cabbage and fennel, and slice them very thinly, discarding their cores. Combine in a large bowl and mix with the carrots and onion. Add the remaining ingredients and toss.

Let sit in the refrigerator for one hour to allow the flavors to blend. Serve chilled.