my favorite kind of B.S.

I love brussels sprouts.

Fried.  Shaved.  Roasted.  With Bacon.  For breakfast.  As leftovers (and I don't really care for leftovers!).  It really doesn't matter.  If there is a brussels sprout around, I will eat it.

It was especially cold in SF yesterday.  I was feeling a little wintry, while simultaneously feeling optimistic for spring.  I decided to combine the two seasons in a salad.  Raw, shaved brussels sprouts combined with crisp and juicy apples dressed up with browned butter vinaigrette and toasty pecans.  A combination of winter flavors with spring texture and lightness, this salad filled the craving perfectly.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

serves 6-10, depending on each diner's love for brussels sprouts

2-3 lbs brussels sprouts, shaved

1 pink lady apple (or honey crisp or fuji), thinly sliced

1 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped and toasted

Vinaigrette

Whisk together:

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard 

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1/4 cup butter, browned

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

kosher salt, to taste (2 large pinches for me)

Toss everything together and enjoy.

tricks and tips:
To shave brussels sprouts, hold the stem-end of the sprout and slice thinly from the top, to your fingers.  Be careful not to cut your fingies!  If you have a mandolin, this is a perfect use for it. 

To toast nuts, spread them on a sheet pan or in an oven safe saute pan and place in a 350'F oven.  Let them toast about 5-10 minutes.  Watch them carefully - they like to burn.

It is never a good idea to toast nuts on the stove.  It has an uneven heat, resulting in nuts that are burned on one side and raw on the other. 

Warm, toasted nuts seem soft - don't let this fool you!  Let them cool before using. 

When browning the butter, have a Pyrex dish handy.  As soon as you get nutty browning in your butter, pour the butter into the Pyrex to stop the cooking.  It is important to use a Pyrex or other heat-safe vessel, as a mason jar or other untempered glass will shatter with the heat of the butter addition to the cool jar.

Slice your apples into a bowl and squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto them to keep them from browning.  After you add the apples to the salad, pour the lemon juice remaining at the bottom of the bowl into the dressing mixture.

Make the salad a few hours early to help "wilt" the brussels sprouts.  But add the nuts just before serving to maintain crunch.

Toss the salad with your hands.  It is gentle on the apples and brussels sprouts, and easier to mix this way.

But be warned, your hands may smell a bit vinegary for awhile!  Not to worry, rubbing your hands on stainless steel, a lemon rind,  or a rosemary bush will quickly take the scent away.