Rainbow Apple Sweet Sour Slaw by Hayden's Adventures

I was trying to think of a delicious vegetable dish to serve with the Pulled Pork slowly cooking for a special family dinner. Hayden from  Hayden's Adventures  knocked on the door and suggested this delicious fresh vibrant slaw as the perfect accompaniment!   We had so much fun in the kitchen cooking together and I learnt lots of tips which resulted in aromatic juicy pulled pork served with lots of vegetables in a fresh well balanced salad! Enjoy!  and thank you Hayden! @haydensadventures 

 


Ingredients

volume will depend on you - this amount gives a generous side salad for about 8 people
Mix and match with the veggies you love to eat.  Just try and balance the colours - we eat with our eyes as well as our mouths!

1/4 red cabbage - shredded
4 baby beetroots - peeled and finely sliced   
TIPS & HINTS wear a pair of single use food gloves to avoid purple stains on your hands
2 -3 carrots - peeled and shredded
1/2 red capsicum  finely sliced
1/2 green capsicum finely sliced
1/2 bulb fennel - finely sliced
small handful parsley - finely cut
plus
speck - about 1 inch wide - cut into fine batons.  Fry off. Retain the fat for the pulled pork then drain the cooked speck pieces on kitchen paper before garnishing the salad (Optional)
1- 2 sweet potatoes peeled, cut into bite size cubes and oven roasted with cumin/turmeric/coriander ground spices and drizzle of olive oil
plus
1 -2 green apples - skin on - cored and finely julienned

Dressing
again - amounts depend on volume of salad.
Add a little at a time. Taste and add again.  You want a sweet/sour/crunch - think fresh!

Apple Vinegar  I used Lirah  Apple Vinegar - an amazing Australian product from Stanthorpe or try their Caramelised Apple Vinegar!  maybe 40 - 60 ml?

a splash of maple syrup (the real stuff) - very strong, not too much
and
Juice from 1/2 - 1 fresh lime

Method
Roast the sweet potato in the oven - nice to have it just warm to add back into the salad.
Fry off the speck and drain (reserve the fat for pulled pork) - keep speck to garnish salad.

Use a really deep wide bowl because you will be mooshing the dressing into the veggies.
Combine and toss all the fresh shredded and sliced veggies - it should look bright and colourful
cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

About half an hour or so before serving add the sliced apple and the vinegar/maple syrup.
Really moosh it into the veggies to coat and let the vinegar work on the veggie fibres.
Taste.  Adjust if necessary.

Just before serving
Plate up the salad and dot through the sweet potato cubes.
Squeeze the lime juice through the salad.  Taste and adjust if needed.
Sprinkle over the crunchy speck pieces.

Enjoy!   Colleen
with a great BIG thank you to Hayden from  Hayden's Adventures 

All items were purchased personally.
Lirah Vinegar is a fantastic product from the Stanthorpe Granite Belt region.
If you are up that way be sure to pop into Pyramids Road Winery and be tempted by the wonderful handmade wines from Warren and Sue Smith!