Hot Slaw, Mexican-Style

Step 1

Make the crema the night before, or many nights before, the day you want to cook.

Step 2

When you are ready to make the slaw, build a fire in your grill, leaving about 1/3 of grill free of coals, or set one burner of a gas grill to high. When the fire is ready, place the cabbages, whole, onto the fire or over the open burner, and allow them to roast in the heat of the open flames, turning them every few minutes and allowing them to rest occasionally on the cooler side of the grill, until they are blackened, blistered and a little soft to the touch, approximately 30 to 45 minutes. You are not looking to incinerate them so much as to cook them aggressively. You will discard most of the burned exterior.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk the cilantro into the crema in a bowl, and add the lime juice and, if you’re using, adobo or hot sauce to taste, along with a little salt and pepper.

Step 4

When the cabbages are blackened and have softened to the point where you can insert a knife into each one fairly easily, remove them to a cutting board. Once they have cooled slightly, take off most of the blackened exterior leaves. Cut each cabbage in half, then use your knife to remove the cores. Slice the cabbage into thin strips, as for a coleslaw, and add them to a large serving bowl.

Step 5

Apply about 1/2 a cup of the crema to the sliced cabbage, and toss to combine. Continue adding crema until you have enough to coat all the cabbage, then taste and adjust seasonings. (You can save the rest of the crema for another use, keeping it in a closed jar in the refrigerator.) Serve with grilled meats or alone.