I Made Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw and It Got Icy Reviews
There’s nothing like a hearty meal in the depths of winter to lift the spirits amid what, for many, can be cold, gray days. Enter Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw. I served it to loved ones as part of a cozy meal at home. Rather than being a yummy, lightler addition to the rest of the food on the menu, it got decidedly negative reviews. Ahead, details on my experience making Garten’s Winter Slaw and why I may never make it again.
Getting certain ingredients for Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw proved difficult, along with the prep
Garten, or the Barefoot Contessa, is known for creating simple dishes, and her Winter Slaw is no exception. Her official Barefoot Contessa website lists it as an “intermediate” dish with only three short steps.
It all sounded maybe deceptively easy when I first read through the instructions. When it came time to make the Winter Slaw it proved decidedly less easy with no “I-just-threw-this-together” air.
Instead, I found myself out of luck before getting in the kitchen. I couldn’t find radicchio at my local grocery store. Not Garten’s fault but a strike against the easiness of the dish all the same.
Later, after tracking down some rather lackluster-looking radicchio at a specialty food store, I got to work on prepping the Winter Slaw. Chopping up Brussels sprouts, radicchio, and kale should be simple enough or so I thought.
The sheer lack of countertop real estate had me wishing for a space like Garten’s East Hampton home and “barn.” Not to mention de-ribbing kale and coring Brussels sprouts and radicchio turned out to be time-consuming. The entire time I wished I’d bought pre-shredded Brussels sprouts and ready-to-eat kale.
Garten’s easy vinaigrette, a mainstay in many Barefoot Contessa salads, helped speed the process along. It took less than a minute to make in a liquid measuring cup. Finally, after tossing everything together in a big bowl — vinaigrette, cranberries, and Parmesan chunks included — the Winter Slaw was done.
Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw wasn’t a hit like other Barefoot Contessa dishes I’ve made at home
Unlike Garten’s Brownie Pudding and pea soup, the Be My Guest star’s Winter Slaw didn’t hit the spot for my family or me. As a fan of the cookbook author’s, I was surprised because the majority of Garten’s dishes I try go on to become favorites or even staples. But, alas, Winter Slaw is not one of them.
The feedback I got on the slaw was that it tasted “weird,” only to be left untouched on plates. Again, I was surprised because the ingredients were a collection of popular ingredients among myself and family members. Too much of a good thing, maybe?
Making Ina Garten’s Winter Slaw again would have to include changes to shorten the prep time
Garten and her fellow Food Network star, Tyler Florence, made preparing Winter Slaw look easy on Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food. But my experience didn’t include laughing in the kitchen while tossing greens into a bowl and whisking “good” olive oil to make a vinaigrette.
Overall, I was disappointed in the taste and admittedly perplexed I, nor my loved ones, really enjoyed it. Were I to make Garten’s Winter Slaw again, which I currently have no desire whatsoever to do, I’d make a few changes.
I’d buy pre-washed kale and shredded Brussels sprouts for a “storebought is fine” moment. Considering it’s a Make It Ahead dish (find the details on p. 77), I’d also give the salad more time in the fridge for the ingredients to have a chance to meld together.
