Matthew McConaughey, the famed Texan actor, and his wife, Camila Alves, who hails from Brazil, share a love not only for each other but also for Southern-inspired cuisine. In their Austin, Texas home, where they reside with their three children and McConaughey's mother, Kay, affectionately known as Ma Mac, the kitchen is often alive with the aromas of hearty meals and family favorites.
Among these favorites is a particular dish that stands out: a vegan twist on a classic Southern salad. This dish, a mayo-free coleslaw, has garnered significant attention in the household. Despite its departure from the traditional mayonnaise-laden coleslaw, it has become a staple, requested frequently by both Ma Mac and McConaughey himself.
The absence of mayonnaise in this coleslaw is compensated by a vibrant dressing featuring lemon juice, olive oil, a blend of vinegars, and fresh mint. These ingredients not only provide a tangy kick but also a refreshing zing, making the dish a delightful accompaniment to any meal.
At the heart of this salad is cabbage, a humble yet versatile vegetable. While cabbage serves as the base, the recipe is flexible, allowing for the incorporation of other vegetables such as Brussels sprouts or broccoli, providing both texture and flavor variation.
To prepare the cabbage, Alves employs a mandoline, a handy kitchen tool that ensures the cabbage is thinly sliced, facilitating optimal absorption of the flavorful dressing. Additionally, thinly sliced apples and onions are introduced into the mix, imparting a medley of sweet and tangy notes, further enhancing the salad's complexity.
One of the secrets to the success of this dish lies in its marination. Allowing the salad to sit overnight allows the flavors to meld together, resulting in a harmonious blend that elevates the dish to new heights. This process of marination not only enhances the taste but also ensures that the salad remains fresh and vibrant, ready to be enjoyed whenever cravings strike.
McConaughey, in a candid moment captured in a video shared by Alves, expresses his fondness for the coleslaw, lamenting the times when it has been absent from their table and urging Alves not to let it slip from memory again. His endorsement, coupled with its popularity among family members, solidifies the status of this vegan coleslaw as a beloved household favorite.