About This Blog

This is, as the title indicates, my kitchen notebook (the header is actually a scanned image of the cover of a notebook that I started using about 25 years ago and the background is a stained page from that book). I am not a professional recipe writer. If you try any recipe here, please keep that in mind, these recipes have not been tested by an independent tester. The "recipes" are often not even really recipes but rather a list of ingredients that I've noted after preparing a dish on the fly that I thought came out well. Perhaps I've also added some instructions, but I rarely keep accurate track of what I've done in terms of time or temperature, I've just noted to the best of my memory (feeble) what I did.

Please feel free to take some inspiration from here, but on the other hand, please give credit where it is due. I also welcome any constructive comments that you might have if you are inspired to try a recipe. Questions are welcome, but keep in mind that I may not remember specifics. The dishes do evolve over time...

Thank you and enjoy!

Lemony Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

For a long time I had my doubts about a raw Brussels sprouts salad, I thought the raw sprouts would be too strongly flavored. But a glut of homegrown sprouts had me looking for something new to do with them so I took the plunge and gave the raw sprouts a try. Perhaps the success of this recipe is because I used sprouts that were growing in the depth of winter and had been sweetened up by a few freezing nights plus they were super fresh. Or perhaps the assertive flavors of lemon juice and Parmesan cheese outcompete with the strong flavor of raw sprouts. I don't know, but the salad is addictively delicious. If you like a shredded kale salad then I highly recommend trying a shredded Brussels sprouts salad.

1/2 pound very fresh Brussels sprouts, weighed after trimming
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice or regular lemon juice but a little less
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Use a mandoline to shred the Brussels sprouts into 1/8-inch slices. Toss the sprouts, cheese, and almonds together, then toss with the lemon juice and olive oil. Taste for salt, it probably isn't necessary because of the salty cheese. Serve immediately with a grinding of black pepper.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Variations that I may try:
- substitute pecorino cheese for the Parmigiano or use a combination
- substitute toasted hazelnuts, pecans, pepitas, pine nuts, or walnuts for the almonds
- add citrus segments such as blood oranges, grapefruit, or pomelo
- add some anchovy and garlic for a Caesar salad flavor and don't forget the croutons

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