Vintage Eats Recipe: 1982 Pineapple-Bacon Slaw

I’m challenging myself to try healthy foods that are new to me. That includes cabbage.

This is not necessarily an unusual food in the culinary world, just in my diet. My grandma grew cabbage in her garden. Mom didn’t serve it often, probably because she knew my sisters and me always turned up our noses at it, although never in Grandma’s presence. We loved her and Mom too much to misbehave. (Wink)

But, I’m finding a new liking for this food that I’ve always heard is a terrific antioxidant among the vegetables and low calorie.

Slaw is my favorite way to eat cabbage. I don’t like slaw with vinegar dressing but I do like it with a creamy dressing.

That’s why it confounded me to discover a love for Miriam Loo’s recipe for ‘Pineapple-Bacon Slaw’ in my copy of her Salads for All Seasons cookbook (1982).

This recipe seems to have it all but the cream.

It has a protein with bacon.

It has fruitiness with pineapple.

It has tanginess with onion and vinegar. Yum!

The original recipe called for a few drops of hot pepper sauce, but I don’t like hot sauce and chose not to use it.

The recipe also calls for an egg to be cooked and added. I had never heard of an egg in a slaw recipe except hard-boiled. I think it bound the vegetable in the dressing together.

I used turkey bacon for a healthier protein source so there were few drippings. If you prefer more bacon flavor, use pork.

The recipe says to serve the dressing hot. While this was delicious, I liked the slaw better the second day after it had chilled overnight in the refrigerator, possibly because the flavors melded together.

I plan to make a second batch today for me. I won’t have to share because at this point my family doesn’t like slaw – probably inheriting a trait from me I’d rather they had ignored. Hopefully, someday they’ll learn to love slaw as much as I do.

I halved the recipe from the cookbook for me. You could double it for your next potluck.

This is a great economical recipe to enjoy as something cool to fix, healthy, not too sweet, and easy to assemble.

Enjoy!

**

Pineapple-Bacon Slaw

3 cups cabbage, finely shredded (about 1/2 pound)

4-ounces pineapple, crushed, drained, juice reserved (about ½ cup)

3 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped

½ tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon flour

½ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 egg, lightly beaten

In a large bowl combine cabbage and pineapple.

Cook bacon until crisp in a saucepan. Drain on paper towels.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings.

Add onion and saute until golden.

Combine reserved pineapple juice and enough water to measure ½ cup.

In a small mixer bowl stir together sugar, flour, mustard, and salt.

Blend in juice, vinegar, mixing well.

Stir into onion, bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, stir and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir a few tablespoons into beaten egg, return to saucepan; cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Pour hot dressing over cabbage and pineapple; toss.

Sprinkle with bacon and serve at once.

Yield: 3 1-cup servings