Brussels Sprout Salad

Many people have an aversion to brussels sprouts due to the grey, soggy, overboiled mess they were served as children. Fortunately, my mother cooked them with bacon, so my childhood memories are of tasty, soft, and flavoursome brussels sprouts.

Like so many of my recipes, this is inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi’s ‘Brussels sprout and parmesan salad with lemon dressing’, with many variations! His version calls for a combination of raw and cooked brussels sprouts, hazelnuts and anchovies in the dressing, to name a few. I have omitted the anchovies and replaced with miso, used natural almonds and because I like this salad in winter, prefer to use a combination of roasted brussels sprouts and kale.

I enjoy using miso in salad dressings and it complements brussels sprouts perfectly. Miso-glazed brussels sprouts are another favourite. When testing the dressing for this recipe, I found too much garlic and seeded mustard produced a super strong flavour that overpowered the dish. If you like that punchy dressing style, add 1 ½ tablespoons of seeded mustard and 2 garlic cloves. Another variation is adding a tablespoon of maple syrup.

When serving to friends, I dress the salad with extra roasted almonds and basil leaves. But, it looks and tastes just fine as it is too!

Brussels Sprouts

Harvard University’s site, The Nutrition Source, cites Brussels sprouts are named after Brussels, Belgium, where it is believed they were first widely cultivated in the 16th century. Sometimes called mini cabbages, they have appeared on “most hated vegetable” lists due to their potentially bitter flavours caused by sulphur-containing compounds. Overcooking the vegetable, particularly by boiling, will intensify any bitter flavours and unpleasant odours. However, when properly cooked and seasoned, Brussels sprouts offer a natural, nutty sweetness.

They are typically a winter vegetable, grown on a thick stalk and are a source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, folate, carotenoids and fibre. They are a member of the Brassica oleracea family of cruciferous vegetables, which also includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale.

Roasted brussels sprouts and kale

Roasting almonds

Step 1 in preparing finished dish

Salad before the dressing

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Brussel Sprout Salad

Yield: 4

Author: Lee Newcombe

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

This delicious salad features the much-maligned Brussels sprout. Crispy kale, crunchy almonds, and a feisty dressing make a delicious accompaniment.

Ingredients

• 500g brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 20g Parmesan
• 1 small bunch kale leaves, discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves
• 1 small bunch of basil leaves, roughly chopped
• ½ Cup almonds, toasted, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220C fan.
2. Line a tray with baking paper. Add the brussels sprouts, 2 tbsp of oil, good pinch sea salt, and toss to combine. Roast for 20-30 minutes until caramelised. Add the kale and roast for another 5-10 minutes until the kale is crispy but not burnt (it burns quite quickly).
3. To make the dressing, add the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, miso, grated Parmesan, 2 tbsp of oil, and another pinch of salt to a blender and whizz until smooth.
4. Put the kale and sprout mixture into a serving bowl.
5. Add the basil and chopped almonds. Toss to combine,
6. Gently mix through the dressing.
7. If you feel so inclined, top with parmesan shavings and roasted almonds to finish it off.
8. Serve and enjoy.

Please note: The nutritional information is included as a guide only.