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Shredded bliss

You can still find old-timers in New England who eat their lettuce drizzled only with vinegar and sugar, which makes the lettuce wilt into a kind of slaw. Real cole slaw (from the Dutch koolsla, which means cabbage salad) has the same sweet-sour, sometimes creamy, dressing. What is pleasing about slaw is that once the cabbage wilts, it still has a beautiful crisp and crunchy texture. You can almost eat it the old-fashioned way, without dressing.

The traditional ingredients - carrots, green peppers, and scallions - add more crunch, more sweetness, and a little heat.

Early Pennsylvania Dutch slaw used cream with the sugar and vinegar. A Pennsylvania recipe for "pepper cabbage" was known under other names, too. All contained red or green peppers, along with sour cream and mayonnaise. The pepper-cabbage formula is similar to the slaw we expect today when the main dish is a plate of fried or broiled fish.

Lately, some restaurants have switched to the vinaigrette variety of slaw, which is lighter. Our favorite of these is the one from Montreal, where cooks make a vinegary dressing, bathing the cabbage with a disproportionate amount of vinegar to oil, so it's wildly piquant, almost like a pickle.

The Indian shredded cucumbers in yogurt, called raita, may have its origins a world away from Dutch slaws, but it isn't dissimilar to them. Neither is the French shredded carrot salad, which is commonly found on a plate of composed raw salads and contains no oil. It has a refreshing pucker.

Slicing machines: The best tool for shredding cabbage is a large knife, which will make elegant, long strands. The slicing disk on a food processor is more efficient, but it produces stubby pieces. Hand-held machines - a mandoline in the French kitchen and a smaller, less intimidating plastic version in the Japanese kitchen - work well. These are available at Kitchen Arts (161 Newbury Street in Boston) and at other kitchenware shops. Kitchen Arts also carries a Feemster's, which is simply a blade on a stand, the precursor of the other fancy machines.

GHITA RIVEN'S MONTREAL COLE SLAW

Julie's mother, Ghita, makes a vinegary Montreal slaw with sugar, green peppers, and carrots. It's wonderful with steak and roast chicken. You can reduce the amount of oil and increase the vinegar if you want to experiment.

1 large green cabbage, quartered and cored
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 carrots, grated
1 green bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Using a sharp chef's knife or a hand-held slicing machine, cut the cabbage into fine shreds. Transfer them to a large colander and layer them with salt.

Add the carrots, green pepper, and scallions. Toss thoroughly to distribute the salt.

Place the colander in a large bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set the bowl aside for 30 minutes.

Press the vegetables to release excess moisture. Transfer them to a serving bowl. Sprinkle them with the sugar and toss well.

Sprinkle with the vinegar and oil and toss again. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the slaw for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight. Toss again just before serving.

SERVES 6

CREAMY COLE SLAW

1 large green cabbage, quartered and cored
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 carrots, grated
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar

Using a sharp chef's knife or a hand-held slicing machine, cut the cabbage into fine shreds. Transfer them to a large colander and layer them with salt.

Place the colander in a large bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and set it aside for 30 minutes. Tip out any water in the bowl.

Lift the cabbage from the colander and transfer it to the bowl. Add the carrots, celery, and onion.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Spoon the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat all the strands. Taste for seasoning and add more vinegar, salt, or pepper. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the slaw for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight. Toss again just before serving.

SERVES 6

INDIAN CUCUMBER AND YOGURT SALAD

2 cucumbers
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into strips
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 red onion, very finely chopped
1 green chili pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
About 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

Peel the cucumbers, halve them lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Use a coarse grater to grate the cucumbers. Transfer them to a colander and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and set the bowl aside for 20 minutes.

Discard the liquid in the bowl and wipe it out. Squeeze the cucumbers in your hands to remove as much liquid as possible and return them to the bowl. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, onion, chili pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Stir well. Add the yogurt several spoonfuls at a time, stirring until the vegetables are coated all over. Add more yogurt if you like. Serve at once.

SERVES 4

SPICY KENTUCKY COLE SLAW

Louis Osteen of Louis's restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, was given this recipe by Cindy Clemmons, a Kentucky-born waitress who worked for him. It combines green, Napa, and red cabbages with tomatoes and cucumbers, all tossed with a spiked mayonnaise dressing. It makes a mountain and stands up to barbecue.

1 large green cabbage, quartered and cored
1 small head Napa cabbage, cored
1 small head red cabbage, quartered and cored
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
2 red onions, cut into thin strips
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
About 1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons liquid hot sauce, or to taste

Using a sharp chef's knife or a hand-held slicing machine, cut the green, Napa, and red cabbages into fine shreds. Transfer them to a large colander and layer them with salt.

Set the colander on a large platter. Cover the colander loosely with plastic wrap and set the platter aside for 30 minutes.

Transfer the cabbages to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers and toss gently but thoroughly.

In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar. Add the hot sauce and grind enough black pepper into the mixture to make it very peppery. Pour half of the dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly. Add more dressing a few spoonfuls at a time, until all the vegetables are well coated.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least several hours or up to several days. Toss well before serving.

SERVES 10

FRENCH CARROT SALAD

10 large carrots
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor and transfer them to a bowl.

Add salt, pepper, vinegar, and parsley. Toss thoroughly. Add more vinegar or salt if you like. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour or as long as half a day. Serve with grilled chicken or pork chops.

SERVES 4