Recipe

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Red Onion, Lemon and Pecorino

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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Red Onion, Lemon and Pecorino

Photo by Sarah Shatz

  • Chef

    merrill's Notes: A few weeks ago while having dinner at one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants, Stone Park Cafe, my husband and I shared one of those rare and wonderful dishes that grabs hold of your...

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Serves 6

  1. Soak the onion slices in a small bowl of cold water for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

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  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Set aside.

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  3. Trim all of the Brussels sprouts, cutting off any bruised outer leaves and slicing off a good portion of the hard root end. Using a mandoline, shave the sprouts one at a time. When you're done, use your fingers to gently separate the leaves so that the shredded sprouts resemble a very fine slaw.

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  4. Put the sprouts in a serving bowl and toss gently with the onions (which you've now drained) and the dressing. Fold in the pecorino, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately, before it starts to wilt!

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Made this last night to accompany some baked potatoes. It was delicious! Next time I think I might add some toasted hazelnuts to the mix, love the brussels sprout/hazelnut pairing. Thanks for a good recipe!

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Very nice recipe. Found it easier to shave sprouts on mandoline if I didn't cut out the hard core, but rather used it as a handle to hold onto the sprout. Started shaving from the top, and had a nice, firm, easy-to-grip handle as I shaved the sprout all the way down

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Sounds fabulous, very much (with the addition of some toasted hazelnuts) like my favorite salad at Morandi, in Manhattan. However, I think this recipe, as written, is a perfect example of why it's time to switch to using weight rather than volume as a measure: "One cup" of whole sprouts is essentially a meaningless measurement; a cup of small, marble-sized sprouts will provide a lot more lunch than will a cup of large sprouts. One might as well call for a quart of lamb chops.

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Very refreshing. Used Dijon and parm. No mandoline needed. Perfect accompaniment to a rich meal.

Pizzeria_neck_shot Reply

At the big New Years Day party yesterday this salad was a big hit. I had lots of requests for the recipe and I am sharing readily. I finally got to it hours later and it was still fresh and crisp. The party was a mozzarella smack down so the raw Brussels sprouts were appreciated by all.

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This was wonderful to take to my SIL for Christmas Eve! Prepped and kept the
components separate until serving time. Many compliments - I look like a rock star!

Dscn0826 Reply

I think it is time to put this on the Christmas eve menu.

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Just tried it out with parmesan instead of pecorino (for expediency's sake since I didn't have any on hand) and it was perfect -- my favorite preparation of brussels sprouts by far! I might add a little lemon zest in next time to counterbalance the cheese.

I'm glad to have a way to highlight the sharp bite of brussels sprouts. It's the same quality I love about cabbage and makes me think a brussels sprout slaw might be very complimentary to a Vietnamese style meal. Thanks for a fabulous recipe!

34473_737630305906_11513163_41327533_7956201_n Reply

I made this - despite protests - as a salad for Thanksgiving. Didn't have a mandoline, but a sharp kitchen knife did the trick. My father insists he hates brussel sprouts, and nearly everyone else said they sounded terrible raw. Once they had it, though, everyone grabbed seconds. It couldn't have gone better, and now I feel like a bit of a magician for turning raw brussel sprouts into something everyone loves.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Wow, a convert! The ultimate compliment.

Sandwich1 Reply

Made this for a T-Day side dish. It's lovely and light, but the key is to use a madoline. The sprouts shoul be as lacy as possible.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Indeed!

Pizzeria_neck_shot Reply

This sounds yummy. I adore Brussels sprouts. Just need to super careful slicing something so very small with my mandoline. I adore Brussels sprouts but I adore my fingers more.

Alanna_kellogg_of_kitchen_parade_216-sq-250 Reply

I write the "restaurant recipe request" column for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and a recipe very similar to this is the only one for which I've gotten three separate requests. To give the chef credit, it's Steve Komorek from Trattoria Marcella. He says it's one of a handful of dishes that would cause customer revolt if he were to ever take it off the menu!

Beaune_02_april_08_063 Reply

The mandoline got me on this one but I still enjoyed this recipe! It was a nice refreshing change of pace at our otherwise heavy Food52 potluck.

Karen_and_amy Reply

We had this for dinner tonight and it was very good. My son loved it and I'm sure my daughter would have too (if only she would have taken the first bite). I think many people are turned off by brussels sprout dishes, because they are often overcooked and an take on an unpleasant texture and smell. These are light and crunchy and very much unlike your typical brussel sprout dish. I will make it again.

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So glad you liked it!

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Why does a recipe about make-ahead dishes end with "Serve immediately, before it starts to wilt"?

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You can make the dressing and prep the sprouts in advance and combine at the last minute; just a guess

Img_1337_2 Reply

Actually, that was an error in tagging. But Tarragon is right -- you could make the components ahead (keep the shredded sprouts in ice water to maintain their crispness) and combine at the last minute.

Junepr05 Reply

I guess I'm liking the new format, because I didn''t see this recipe before. It's just screaming at me to play with it. We are big Brussels sprouts fans. And just maybe this will make me finally use the mandoline my sister gave me three years ago. ;>D

I'm thinking a hot bacon dressing might add dimension to the salad. What say you?

Img_1337_2 Reply

So glad to hear it! I think a hot bacon dressing would be divine! Suspect it would works wonders with the raw red onion.

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Trouble with brussels sprouts for guests is that there is always someone at the table who have the gene that makes brussels sprouts taste bitter and acrid. Wouldn't serve to guests. Also, personally, think salad for a first course ruins the taste of what's to come. Should be a taste cleanser, not a taste killer.

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Love this recipe! Made this last night and it was a huge hit. I added some pine nuts to add a bit of sweetness and texture - and also because I love them.

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So glad you liked it!

Oh I can't wait to make this!

Photo_16_ Reply

Many thanks, Merrill! I didn't know the blanching might have contributed to chewiness. Great tip!

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I made this recipe for the third time last night and it was so yummy, I ate practically the whole batch myself! Thanks!

Photo_16_ Reply

I blanched my b. sprouts as hubby does not love them anyway so I thought this would make them go down easier. :) The pecorino was great with them but overall, I didn't love this. The sprouts were chewy despite being fresh, and the dressing lacked a bit of interest. Something like candied pecans might be a nice addition. A nice recipe but not one I'd make again.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Sorry this didn't suit your taste. Blanching the sprouts may have had something to do with them being chewy, not crisp. Interesting idea to add candied nuts.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Just checked out the photo on your blog, and I think it might have made a difference if you had sliced the onion and sprouts a little more thinly (they really should be shaved) -- all the flavors would likely have been better distributed. Just a suggestion in case you do ever decide to try it again!

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Big hit at dinner tonight, thanks!

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Merrill, this looks fantastic! I will have to put it on my list when I actually get into the kitchen to cook dinner for hubby Mr. Ouichefnetwork, since we both love those tiny little cabbages.

Picture_004 Reply

Just made this with blanched sprouts--wow, it's a keeper! My husband said it was "by far" one of the best salads he's ever had. Can't wait to do this one again!

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I made this wonderful salad for my wellness class last week. All were delighted and said it was tasty. They have been sharing it with many and the feedback has been great.
I do not care for cooked sprouts and often look for new ways to prepare healthy greens. This one is tops on my list....Thank you!

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Had it for dinner last night and lunch again today. Delicious. Thanks!

Img_2764 Reply

Bookmarked!

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Nice recipe...for another idea on sprouts, check this out too
http://www8.food52.com/recipes/9986_parisian_breakfast_quiche_with_brussels_sprouts_shallots_and_dill

Dsc_0217_2 Reply

Great recipe! And you can prep it in advance, just wait to mix the shredded sprouts with the dressing until right before serving.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Good suggestion.

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I think this would be a nice alternative to the heavy side dishes we usually serve for Thanksgiving. But this was my first time making it, here in March, wishing and hoping for spring. It gives brussels sprouts a nice spring-like twist. I love it.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Glad you enjoyed it!

Dsc02229 Reply

Wow I loved this! I had it without the pecorino. It was delicious! I just chopped the Brussels in my food processor as I have neither a mandoline or patience!

Img_1337_2 Reply

It's all about priorities... :)

Barr_selects__5_of_5_web1 Reply

I made this and LOVED it! I actually added some sumac to my onions after they soaked and it added a nice touch.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Great idea.

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what is sumac?

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I've made it three times, shredded ahead twice with no problem. Also, had some leftover and soaked in dressing overnight--still delicious, my husband thought even better.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Interesting! And great to know, thanks.

Cheese_for_twitter0001 Reply

Merrill -- is there harm in shredding the sprouts in advance -- I need to make this for 14.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Sorry, somehow I missed this question -- I would think you could shred them an hour or two in advance, although they'll wilt a little.

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This is ridiculously good. I thought we'd try and get our 6 & 4 year olds excited about brussels sprouts with this one, but husband and I polished off all of it before we even sat down to dinner. Can't wait to make it again.

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So glad it was a success!

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This was fantastic, although my mandoline wasn't up to the task -- it just couldn't grab the little bugger tightly enough. Fortunately I had two excellent sous chefs (my daughter and niece) who did a great job shredding the sprouts. I can't praise this dish enough. I wanted to make it again the next day, but reason prevailed.

Img_1337_2 Reply

Thanks so much!

Bananacakewithtangyvanilla Reply

Just made this last night as trial run for Thanksgiving ---delicious! Am thinking am thinking about adding toasted walnuts....

Img_1337_2 Reply

Great idea!

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Are the brussel sprouts cooked before they are shredded?

Img_1337_2 Reply

No, they're left raw. You could also blanch them briefly if you prefer.

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I made the recipe for dinner on Sunday, and it was a big hit at the dinner table. The recipe is going to be making an appearance on Thanksgiving dinner :)

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So glad you liked it. Happy Thanksgiving!

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