Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw

Mayo-based coleslaw has its place, but this is not that place. When you are serving smoky barbecue, you need something with backbone. Something that cuts through the richness and wakes up your palate between bites of pork. That is what this slaw does. The vinegar is bright and assertive, the cayenne brings a little heat, and the whole thing stays crisp even after sitting in the dressing.

My grandmother Evangeline made a version of this every summer. She would shred the cabbage so thin you could read a newspaper through it, then pour the hot dressing over while it was still sizzling. The heat softens the cabbage just enough to make it tender without turning it to mush. That is the bayou way: coax your ingredients, do not bully them.

At Lagniappe, we serve this alongside our blackened catfish and our smoked boudin. It belongs next to anything rich and fatty because the acid does the heavy lifting your fork cannot. I have watched guests pile this slaw directly onto pulled pork sandwiches, and I have watched them go back for seconds. That is exactly the kind of eating this recipe invites.