I love brussel sprouts. They make the perfect side to just about any hearty winter meal. Just split ‘em in half, roast or sauté them in butter, dress up with some toppings like bacon, pecans, and/or cranberries, and you’re golden. I could eat them as a snack, and have several times. Although I’ll never get tired of this mini cabbage-like veggies, I wanted to try something new of course. It dawned on me that I had never actually eaten them raw, so I decided to give it a try and shred them up like a salad. At first I was not too fond of the taste, but after experimenting with different combinations and add-ins, I came up with a delicious brussel sprout salad that I will be making over and over again I’m sure. The apples give a wonderfully tart balance to the bitterness of the sprout, and although it’s kind of annoying to chop them up in little matchsticks like I did, doing so creates a pretty looking salad as well as an even distribution of flavors in each bite. Enjoy!
Apple + Brussel Sprout Salad
Ingredients:
• 1 package brussel sprouts (one of those little ones… I think they are like 6 or 8 ounces?)
• 1 crisp apple, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks (I used fuji)
• 3/4 – 1 cup walnuts, chopped finely (you can toast them beforehand if you wish!)
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• few tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tsp. sweet hot mustard (or honey)
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
(1) Half each brussel sprout and cut out the white core of each. To “shred” them, lay each half with the inside facing down on the cutting board, and then run your knife through them a few times as if you were slicing an onion, to cut into ribbon-like pieces. Toss these ribbons in a bowl with your cut-up apples, walnuts, and cranberries.
(2) The dressing I made to toss this salad in is just a rough estimate, so please adjust the measurements according to your own palate and taste! In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegars, and mustard. Pour over the salad and toss until everything is coated and distributed evenly. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper, and give it another toss. Let sit at room temp a bit before storing in the fridge so that all the flavors can come together nicely. Can be refrigerated for up to a week, but no longer!
Kind of looks like a Pollock, no?
