Cassie’s shredded brussels sprout salad with pomegranate and ricotta salata

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This beauty is my sister’s Thanksgiving staple, which we usually prep side by side in Virginia at a big family gathering, while the kids and the dogs run wild outside and occasionally thunder through the kitchen. In 2020 we’ll be apart, and the portions will be smaller, but maybe we’ll be tandem chopping over Zoom.

Brussels sprout salad recipe

Serves 6-8 people. A note about the dressing: The blend of citrus juices and optional vinegar round each other out and supply just the right amount of kick. You can also make a simpler version with just olive oil if you don’t have walnut oil, or just use vinegar and a pinch of sugar instead of the citrus juices.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

  • 4 TBS. juice of a fresh orange

  • 2 TBS. juice of a fresh lemon

  • 1 tsp. or more cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

  • 4 TBS. walnut oil

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

  • About 1 lb. (more or less) brussels sprouts, washed

  • 1 small red onion or portion of a larger one, shaved very thin, preferably on a mandoline. Optional: soak onion slices in cold water for a half hour and drain and pat dry right before using

  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds

  • 1/2 cup toasted and roughly chopped pecans

  • 1/2 cup or more crumbled or thinly sliced ricotta salata

  • Sea salt as needed

  • Freshly ground pepper as needed

Instructions:

  1. Prepare dressing. Whisk together mustard, juices, and a good pinch of salt. Gradually whisk the oils into this. Taste. If it could use more acidity add a few drops of vinegar until it tastes right. If you feel it needs more oil and/or salt, you can add those too. Put aside when it tastes right.

  2. Prepare the brussels sprouts: trim off any brown parts and pull of any tough/withered outer leaves and discard. Then, you can chop the brussels sprouts into thin cross-sections, OR use a mandoline, OR use a food processor to carefully shred them—just take care not to pulverize them. I like to do a combination of chopped into thin cross sections and pulling apart some of the brussels sprouts by hand so there are some whole leaves mixed in. The idea is that you have recognizable pieces but they aren’t too tough or hard to chew.

  3. Mix up your salad: toss together brussels sprouts, onions, pomegranate seeds, and about half the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Toss in the pecans and cheese with a few pinches of sea salt, and mix up. Taste, and drizzle in more dressing and add more cheese as needed. This salad works if dressed ahead an hour or two. It’s also still great the next day.