During the warmer summer months I gorge on sun ripened tomatoes from hot inland gardens. Once winter starts, I avoid the tasteless and long traveled ones available in the grocery store. Instead, my passion runs to Brussels sprouts. Roasted until bronzed with a few charred leaves, they are sweet and don’t resemble the over cooked boiled ones served in school cafeterias. I frequently snack on the crisp dark brown outer leaves that are loose on the sheet pan.

Most vegetables in the Brassica family profit from being roasted. It’s certainly my favorite way to cook them, or most any vegetable. Simply cut them into 1-inch pieces, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Then roast (cut side down) in a 425 degree oven, maybe turning once although not required, until done to your liking with edges that are brown and starting to carmelize. This usually only takes 30 to 40 minutes, hands free. Your time is then available for anything else you plan to serve.

But raw, thinly sliced Brussels sprouts are also delicious. Even better, a salad using them can be made ahead and is frequently even better the following day. A food processor with the thin slicing blade makes short work of it or you can use a sharp knife. Trader Joe’s sells pre-sliced sprouts although they are not quite as thin as I like them. They do work well in a stir fry though.

Brussels sprout salad

What’s in there? I see dried cranberries, chopped dates, pine nuts, and fresh goat cheese in addition to the shaved sprouts. Toasted walnuts would also be excellent in this salad. Although it’s difficult to see in the picture, there are also roasted outer leaves of the sprouts to add a toasty note.

This recipe originally came from the blog Love & Lemons, you will find the link here. They use grated parmesan instead of fresh goat cheese, and the dates are my own addition.

If you would like to add the roasted outer leaves, just peel them off before shaving the sprouts. Toss them with a little olive oil and salt on a parchment lined sheet pan, and roast at 425 degrees F. for about 25-30 minutes until crisp and brown. Add them at the very last minute to the salad.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shaved Brussels sprouts
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• 4 diced dates
• 1/2 cup of crumbled fresh goat cheese
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Toss the sprouts, pine nuts, cranberries and dates together.
2. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and toss again.
3. Taste for salt and pepper.
4. Crumble in the goat cheese.
5. optional roasted outer leaves should go in just before serving

The salad can be made ahead through step 3.

Shaved Brussels sprout salad