Crunch time

Yes it’s that glorious time of year where everything gets just a little bit crunchy. The trees are changing colours and soon we’ll be wading through pavements and fields knee deep in crisp golden leaves, clear blue skies overhead and clouds of condensing breath in the air. The seasonal produce on offer from stores, markets and farm shops reflect the colours and hues of the season: golden and purple swedes, burnt orange pumpkins, moss-like kale leaves, frosty white leeks and deep green crinkled cabbage. It’s the time of year when traditionally our thoughts turn, quite rightly, to warming soups, stews, compotes and deep rich meats and game with distinctive earthy flavours but there’s still time for something a little lighter and fresher. In this crisp and crunchy salad-come-autumnal-coleslaw you'll find a refreshing, tangy, Asian twist that is the perfect compliment to the season. 

Try adding bean sprouts, noodles or both, maybe some stir fried crispy chunks of chicken or serve this coleslaw, as is, along side some roasted pork belly with crackling. The dressing would make a perfect marinade for fish too: sticky, sweet and sour.

Winter coleslaw with Asian dressing

Serves:4

• ½ a cabbage, green or white shredded
• 3 carrots coarsely grated
• 2 apples grated
• 1 red pepper finely sliced
• 2 tbsp of crushed roasted peanuts

Dressing

·       1 clove garlic crushed

·       ½ onion finely chopped

·       1 red chilli chopped

·       1 tbsp of thai fish sauce

·       11/2 tbsp of brown sugar

·       3 tbsp of lime juice

·       a dash of sweet chilli sauce

Put all the raw vegetables chopped, sliced or grated in a large bowl. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blitz for a few seconds. Pour the dressing over the veg and toss well, serving with a sprinkle of the crushed peanuts.