in which summer may turn a blind eye to us, but we still bbq with abandon

We celebrated Retrogrouch’s birthday with an overcast, chilly BBQ yesterday. I lost track of how many glasses of local Riesling and Pinot Noir I drank, but it was ok, since it was local, so I knew I’d find my way home. I’m a little dazed this morning as a result, but I thought I’d present the menu. Yesterday was one of those golden cooking days, when you can’t make a mistake even if you try and deliciousness is shooting like lightning bolts from your fingers. Don’t tell me you don’t have these days, because I know you do.

Menu

Home-corned beef* with wholegrain mustard
Willamette Valley Cheese Company grape pomace gouda*
Ancient Heritage Dairy Adelle soft-washed cheese*
My dilly bean* pickles
Roasted scallops with home-preserved lemons
Country ribs marinated in citrus, cumin and oregano*
Long bean and new potato* salad with leeks*
Savoy cabbage blue cheese* hazelnut* coleslaw
Mesclun* salad with radishes*, radish sprouts*, snowpeas* and cucumbers
Sweet Cheeks Riesling*-macerated cantaloupe
Fruit tart from Eugene City Bakery
Metropol and Hideaway bakery bread
* local product

Perhaps the best dish was the Savoy cabbage coleslaw with blue cheese and hazelnuts. I don’t particularly like coleslaw, and mine always turns out badly. I have a great version that’s more carrots than cabbage, but this new variation is better — a coleslaw I’d gladly eat any day. The hazelnuts are crucial, and their freshness is paramount, so don’t substitute or skimp there.

Oregon Blue Cheese Hazelnut Coleslaw

(serves 8-10 as a side dish)

• 1 small head savoy cabbage
• 2 medium sized-shallots
• 1 large green pepper
• 3 green onions or 2 tender leek scapes
• 1 cup roasted hazelnuts
• 1 c. Hellman’s mayo
• 1/4 cider vinegar
• 1 T. spicy brown mustard (Ploughman’s)
• 1/2 t. ground pepper
• 1/2 cup high quality, not too crumbly, blue cheese, such as Oregonzola

Shred cabbage finely and add to large bowl. Chop

green onions, green pepper, and shallots rather finely. Add to cabbage.

Chop hazelnuts in a food processor by pulsing briefly 3-4 times. You want there to be large pieces, but not as big as halves. Add to cabbage.

In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, mustard, pepper. Chop or crumble blue cheese as much as possible, then stir into dressing, trying to dissolve all lumps. Add to cabbage, mix well.

Let sit for several hours in refrigerator before serving.