Our farm-share deliveries come on Wednesday, so we’re flush with veggies through the weekend. But by Monday, things are pretty picked over. We’ve already eaten or frozen most everything, so I’m left with the undesirables. Today, that means cabbage.

For some reason, cabbage seems like a cold-weather veggie to me, better suited to hearty preparations (like Cabbage with Brown Butter and Bread Crumbs) than late summer ones. Except for coleslaw, that is. And I’ve never been a fan of coleslaw.

But life is about turning lemons into lemonade. So today I’ve taken on the Coleslaw Challenge and have spent the afternoon experimenting with everything from caraway seeds to sesame oil. Given my bias against grated cabbage, I called on a dear friend and her daughter for feedback. We conducted a taste test in their kitchen, tweaking the recipes together until we hit upon the right balance of sweetness, acidity and crunch.

The three recipes — Asian Slaw, Coleslaw with Honey Vinaigrette, and Coleslaw with Mustard and Caraway — might forever change the way you see coleslaw. They did for me. And they did for my friend’s daughter, who liked the Asian Slaw so much she declared, “If Mommy made this, it would be a dessert!” Which I took to mean that it’s something she likes SO much, she’d want more of it, even when full of everything else.

P.S. One head of cabbage will be enough for all three versions.

Asian Slaw
12 ounces cabbage, grated, about 3 cups
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 carrot, grated
1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Chopped peanuts for garnish
Red bell pepper, small diced, if desired

Put grated cabbage in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar, then toss with cabbage. Mix in sesame seeds, carrot and cilantro to taste, then top with chopped peanuts. If desired, mix in red bell pepper for extra crunch and color.

Coleslaw with Honey Vinaigrette
8 ounces cabbage, grated, about 2 cups
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Put cabbage in a medium bowl. Whisk together oil, honey and vinegar and taste, adding more vinegar or honey, depending on how sweet or acidic you want it to be. Toss with cabbage, then stir in parsley.

Coleslaw with Mustard and Caraway
8 ounces cabbage, grated, about 2 cups
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon
1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Combine with the oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar and mustard. Taste and add additional tablespoon vinegar if desired. Pour over cabbage in a medium bowl, then toss with caraway seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.