Bored with the usual slaws? The mayo-doused number at the deli or your aunt’s vinegared version?

Don’t fret. We’ve dug up recipes that get to the root of your problem – which is that cabbage is so 245 years ago. The koolsla recipes the Dutch brought to this country circa 1770 used cabbage. And that’s been pretty much the base for coleslaws ever since.

But chefs and culinary pros like to tinker with classic recipes, so they’re using beets, kohlrabi, carrots, fennel, celery root. All are sturdy, colorful, flavorful. All have slaw potential.

The fennel slaw at Found Kitchen and Social House in Illinois began with a rethinking of classic coleslaw, explained Nicole Pederson, the restaurant’s executive chef and partner.

Here’s one recipe.

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RAW BEET SLAW WITH FENNEL, TART APPLE AND PARSLEY

Yield: 4 servings

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon each: fresh lemon juice, freshly grated orange zest 1/2 teaspoon each: honey, fine sea salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 medium red beet, 3 to 5 ounces, peeled, cut into matchsticks 1/2 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cored, cut into matchsticks 1/2 medium crisp tart apple such as Granny Smith, cored, cut into matchsticks 1/2 cup firmly packed chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Procedure:

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, orange zest, honey, salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss together beet, fennel, apple and parsley. Add dressing. Mix gently to coat ingredients evenly. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Slaw can be made up to 8 hours in advance. Presentation note: If you don’t serve immediately and want to prevent the beets from tinting the fennel, keep beets separate (dressed with half the dressing) and mix in right before serving.

Note: Diane Morgan, author of “Roots,” suggests serving this at a barbecue, at brunch with cured salmon or alongside country pate. Use a mandoline or a sharp chef’s knife to cut beets into matchsticks. Use disposable surgical gloves or you’ll end up with red hands.

Nutrition information per serving: 128 calories, 10 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 386 mg sodium, 2 g fiber