If you know me, you know I’ve always hated baking, but out of sheer boredom during quarantine, I gave it another chance. Turns out, it still makes a huge effing mess and frankly, I just can’t eat anymore banana bread. Moving on. My latest hobby is pickling, which I am happy to report makes far less mess and does far better things for my waistline. Winning!
This recipe is a play on Curtido: a Central American slaw made with green cabbage, oregano and green chiles. I’m doing my best to work with what I’ve got these days, which was what must have been the world’s largest purple cabbage ever. I’m very grateful for Instacart, but this thing was like a bowling ball. So! Pickled Purple Cabbage it was, and just look at that color! I didn’t have a green chile, so I subbed crushed red pepper. You could also add shredded carrots and/ or onion if you like. Mexican oregano is more earthy than regular oregano (or Mediterranean oregano), which tends to be mintier. If you don’t have it, it would be a great addition to your spice cabinet, but regular oregano or fresh oregano would be just fine.
This makes for a perfect topping for tacos, sandwiches, hot dogs— whatever your Memorial Day meal of choice might be! Yes, Memorial Day is this weekend. Yes, I had to check the calendar too. Hello, summer!
Makes 1 liter.
Ingredients
- ½ head purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Method
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until combined. Pack tightly into a 1 liter size jar, or similar container. Store in the refrigerator overnight. It will be ready the next day!
