I’m back from my summer hiatus and it’s Fall – my favorite season. This past Sunday it was 42 degrees, but there were a few snow flakes falling from the sky. From my understanding, snow falls when the temperature is around or below 32 degrees, but I live in the Northeast and the weather somehow defies the laws of science. Today it was 70 degrees. I’m not complaining!
So here we are at the end of October and I’ve found inspiration to restart my blog through brussels sprouts – the perfect fall/winter vegetable. I hated brussels sprouts as a kid. I think we all did. In the 1970s vegetables were generally (over)boiled and smothered with margarine, resulting in a slimy, mushy mess. Brussels sprouts have come a long way since the 70s and my reintroduction to them happened sometime in the 21st century. They were roasted with bacon, resulting in caramelized sweetness with a slight salty crunch (and let’s face it, the old adage is true – everything tastes better with bacon). I am not yet ready for roasted vegetables because they remind me of winter but found a nice transitional “summer into fall” recipe using shaved raw brussels sprouts.
I came across several versions of Buvette’s Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino and Walnuts. I’ve never eaten at Buvette in New York’s West Village and haven’t yet read through the cookbook, Buvette: The Pleasure of Good Food, but I decided to go with Sam Sifton’s adaptation of Buvette’s recipe (July 15, 2014, Food Section of The New York Times). He uses four ingredients: shaved brussels sprouts, pecorino Romano, walnuts and extra virgin olive oil. I added a fifth: a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
This salad doesn’t sound interesting or flavorful but to the contrary it’s oh so delicious. What I love about this salad is the crispiness of the shaved brussels sprouts, the salty sharp taste of the chunky pecorino, the hearty crunch of the walnuts and the acidity of the lemon. This dish proves that simple ingredients, prepared simply, result in a complex and satisfying meal. Add or sub in whatever ingredients and proportions suit you, but this is what satisfies me. I paired the salad with a thin pan-seared chicken breast and a hunk of warm crusty bread. I can’t wait to make it again tomorrow!
Here are the proportions I used (adapted from Sam Sifton’s adaptation of Buvette’s Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino and Walnuts).
Serves 2 as a side salad or 1 as a hearty meal.
- 2 loose cups shaved brussels spouts (I used 24 small sprouts to get two cups)
- 1/4 loose cup pecorino Romano cheese, broken in small chunks using a fork
- 1/3 cup shelled walnuts
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Remove any tough or discolored outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. If you are using a mandolin do not trim the bottoms, as this serves as useful little handle while using the mandolin. (I find the mandolin safety guide cumbersome to use. If you don’t use it, watch your fingers! The mandolin blade is ultra sharp.) If you are not using a mandolin, trim the bottoms of the brussels sprouts and use a knife to slice the sprouts crosswise as thinly as possible.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the shaved sprouts with the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Let the salad rest for 5 minutes, allowing the brussels sprouts to wilt slightly. Enjoy!
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