Cook it :: Raw Brussel Sprout Salad

Today I am at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show at 3:45 on the DIY Stage.  I'd love to have you join me for a little cooking and a little crafting, if you're in the area.  It's going to be fun + you can buy my book AND have me sign it right there.  Could you ask for anything more??

What's that?  You could ask for more?  Well, then, here's a recipe from my seminar today.  My seminar is called "Plant Now, Eat Later."  I did the same topic last year and it was a huge hit.  This year I updated the ingredients to be really fun things to grow.  Have you ever grown Brussel Sprouts?  They are really pretty easy.  And by pretty easy I mean they were planted when I was six months pregnant and left virtually unattended (except for some minor weeding and thinning) until just recently when they were harvested.

I had heard you should not plant the seed in the ground directly - but at six months pregnant I didn't see myself transplanting them - ever - so I stuck those seeds straight in the ground and figured if they didn't come up it wasn't that big of a deal.

But they came up.  And they taste amazing.  And if you aren't a huge fan of them, I think this may change your mind.  The salad uses the sprouts raw which gives a really nice texture and spicy flavor to the salad.  It also eliminates any chance that you could over cook them and enter the dreaded mushy cabbage zone.

Ingredients

1 pound brussel sprouts

3 strips bacon

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 medium apple, sliced thin

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions & Notes

Cook bacon over low heat until crispy.  Remove from pan and set on paper towels to let cool.  Reserve bacon fat.

 

Thinly slice brussel sprouts in a food processor or very carefully by hand.  Transfer to a medium sized bowl and toss in apples.  Crumble bacon and add to bowl.  

 

In a mason jar (with a tight fitting lid) pour in apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons reserved bacon fat, mustard, and olive oil.  Shake vigorously until well combined.  Toss dressing over brussel sprout mix a little at a time until properly dressed.  You may have extra dressing.  Season with salt and pepper.