Brussels Sprout Salad With Apple and Dried Cherries
1130 days ago
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Brussels sprouts are an acquired taste. By that I mean when I was young, I wasn’t a huge fan primarily because I had only had them boiled. As I got older and discovered roasted Brussels sprouts, I recognized that these small vegetables were packed with flavor, even by adding only salt, pepper and oil. As I’ve grown to love them, I’ve started to explore different ways to prepare them, including eating them raw.
You may be surprised when I suggest eating Brussels sprouts raw, but this Brussels Sprout Salad With Apple and Dried Cherries is a wonderful change from the cooked version of the vegetable, and the flavor is less intense. Think of when you eat coleslaw. The cabbage isn’t cooked and this is a similar approach. I’ve also added toasted pine nuts to the recipe, which bring a nutty flavor to each bite and also dried cherries, although you could substitute dried cranberries. I prefer the dried cherries because they offer a sweet and tart combination that balances the slight bitterness of the raw Brussels sprouts.
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is prepping the sprouts. Each one needs to have the end trimmed and then be thinly sliced. We used a 5" Petite Santoku for this task and it was quite easy. For more info on how to cut Brussels sprouts, take a look at our handy tutorial.
Next up is the apple. We went with a Granny Smith for the tartness. Using the 5" Petite Santoku, cut the apples in half, remove the core, cut the halves into thick slices and then chop the slices.
To toast the pine nuts, place them in an 8" Gourmet Fry Pan (no oil) over medium heat and cook for around three minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch the pine nuts carefully as they will go from golden brown to burnt in seconds. Mix the dressing in a small bowl until all the ingredients are fully combined.
For the Parmesan cheese, you can purchase shaved Parmesan but it’s cheaper and fresher to buy a wedge and shave it yourself. Just use the Vegetable Peeler and shave strips from the side of the wedge.
Once everything is prepped, put all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl and toss. Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad, tossing it to evenly coat the entire salad. Let the salad sit at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes to absorb the dressing. Taste and add additional dressing if needed. Serve in a bowl and keep the remaining dressing on hand if needed.
Brussels Sprout Salad With Apple and Dried Cherries is a wonderful surprise of flavors in every bite. Bitter, sweet, nutty, tart and salty translates to deliciousness. Try it for your next dinner gathering and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and sprouts thinly sliced
- 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1/3 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
- 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/8 cup chopped chives
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- In a large bowl, toss together the Brussels sprouts, apple, pine nuts, dried cherries and Parmesan.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until fully combined.
- Drizzle half of the dressing over the Brussels sprout salad and mix together.
- Let the salad sit at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes, taste and add additional dressing if needed.
- Serve, keeping additional dressing on reserve to add as needed.
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