Amp Up The Flavor Of Coleslaw With Tangy Blue Cheese Dressing

What's better than a classic coleslaw? A customized one, featuring a tangy blue cheese dressing. This simple twist turns a genteel slaw into a punchy little side with serious attitude, courtesy of the distinctive flavor of the mold spores cultured in pungent blue cheeses, like Roquefort and Cambozola.

To get started, mash your cheese of choice into a small amount of mayo with a fork to make a paste. Then gradually add more mayo to create the perfect dressing consistency before incorporating extras, like fresh herbs or crushed garlic (you can use a blender if you prefer). Unlike sprinkling a random scattering of blue cheese crumbles over a finished coleslaw, blending the blue cheese directly into your regular coleslaw dressing guarantees that its tangy flavor is evenly distributed throughout your shredded cabbage.

Bear in mind that the variety of blue cheese you select will have its own texture and flavor ranging from salty and sharp to creamy, earthy and nutty. For example popular blue cheeses, like Roquefort and Gorgonzola, have a soft, creamy texture and intense flavor, Stilton is pungent and crumbly, and a Spanish Cabrales has a spicy note with an almost indigo-colored mold. This is why it's tricky to be prescriptive when it comes to making the perfect blend of dressing for your slaw. The key is to keep tasting as you go, adding more mayo for a dressing that's become too assertive, or boosting the amount of cheese for a blend that's too mild.

To lighten the texture of your blue cheese dressing, try substituting some, or all, of the mayo for Greek yogurt. This switch will curb the cloying characteristic of the mayo while lightning the richness of the cheese and tempering its pungency. It will also boost the protein content of your coleslaw, which will make it taste more satisfying. Alternatively, experiment with using crème fraiche or sour cream (both of which have a nutty tang that will complement a rounded blue cheese), or pour in a splash of milk to loosen an overly thick dressing without impacting its appetizing tang.

If making your own blue cheese dressing sounds like too much of an effort, a store-bought blend can work equally as well. Simply make it your own by incorporating other ingredients that are commonly paired with strong cheeses, such as honey, walnuts, and pears, to boost the flavor of your slaw. The nuts will lend your dish a satisfying texture and a drizzle of honey or diced apple will balance out the savoriness of the cheese. Fresh green herbs, such as parsley, can also brighten the color of the dressing, giving it some much-needed vibrancy whereas a spritz of lemon can add a zingy note that cuts through the strength of a robust blue.