Crab Coleslaw Medley -- The Farewell Cookout Salad That Earned Its Place at the Table

Labor Day. End of summer. The farewell cookout — everything on the grill one last time. Clay and Sarah, Travis and Jolene and Earl Thomas. Amber drove up from Louisville with Nadia, six months old now, sitting up on her own, reaching for everything, a baby with ambition and a grip strength that suggests she has Hensley hands even though her name is Okonkwo.

I held Nadia and Earl Thomas at the same time — Nadia in my left arm, Earl Thomas on my right knee — and Connie took a picture and said that's the Christmas card. Two grandchildren and a grandfather whose face is doing something it rarely does, which is smiling with all of itself instead of just the mouth. The full smile. The one that uses the eyes and the forehead and the jaw and the soul. Connie has seen that smile maybe ten times in thirty-four years and she photographs it every time because she knows it's rare and she knows it's real and she knows that one day I won't be here to smile it and the photograph will have to do.

Garden cleared the next morning. Said thank you. Started composting. Another season done. Another fall beginning. The cycle continues.

A farewell cookout asks something of the food — it has to be worth the occasion, worth the drive Amber made from Louisville, worth the last afternoon before the garden gets cleared and the season turns. I made this crab coleslaw because it’s cool and a little bit fancy and a little bit not, which is exactly the right register for a day when you’re holding two grandchildren at once and your wife is photographing your face like she’s trying to preserve something. It belonged on that table.

Crab Coleslaw Medley

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 20 min (plus 1 hour chilling) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 8 oz imitation crab meat (or real lump crab), roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

Instructions

1. Combine the slaw base. In a large bowl, toss together the green cabbage, red cabbage, shredded carrots, celery, and green onions until evenly mixed.
2. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning until smooth and well combined.
3. Add the crab. Fold the crab meat gently into the cabbage mixture, distributing it evenly without breaking it down too much.
4. Dress and toss. Pour the dressing over the crab and cabbage mixture. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
5. Chill before serving. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld and the slaw soften slightly. Toss once more before serving.
6. Serve cold. Serve directly from the bowl alongside grilled meats. Keeps well refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 145 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 11g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 390mg