Shredded Brussels Sprout & Pomegranate Salad
Look, I know none of us look forward to holiday meals for the salads, but something bright, fresh, and crunchy sure tastes nice amongst all of the traditional cozy dishes. This recipe was made in collaboration with March Party Goods to plan a Thanksgiving feast, scaled down in size but certainly not flavor. Visit their website at www.marchpartygoods.com for creative, playful, and environmentally friendly gift wrap that seconds as beautiful decor for you holiday table. I embraced the season by incorporating Brussels sprouts and pomegranates for a festive way to get your greens in this year.
When you consider having Brussels sprouts as a side dish, I bet most of you immediately think of sautéing or roasting this cruciferous vegetable. Here, we are going to prepare them raw to embrace their fresh flavor and crunchy texture. To do so, we are going to slice them as thin as you can, if you have a mandolin in your kitchen arsenal it will definitely come in handy here. You may also use a knife to shred the Brussels sprouts as thin as you can. The rest of the salad assembly is a stitch! Just mix shredded Brussels with pomegranate arils and toasted walnuts. The pancetta and shallot vinaigrette is poured over the salad warm, to help take some of the bitterness out of the Brussel sprouts.
Kitchen Tip!
If you do not yet have a mandolin in your kitchen, use this recipe as an excuse to buy one! I promise you will not regret it. Not only is it incredibly satisfying to have all of your slice vegetables perfectly uniform, but what a time saver. I can almost guarantee that you will save loads of time in the kitchen if you find chopping and slicing vegetables a drag when cooking. My mandolin has three width settings and blades that raise vertically as well for a julienne cut. Make sure you get a mandolin with a finger protector of some sort, they can be a very hazardous kitchen tool without one. I use mine often to slice onions, radishes, garlic, shallots, cabbage, and of course Brussels sprouts!
Health Benefit!
Brussels sprouts are considered a cruciferous vegetable, along with kale, broccoli, cabbage, and turnips. These vegetables are a particularly good source of soluble fiber which helps to support a healthy balance of good bacteria in our large intestine. This type of fiber also provides some bulk, which can be particularly beneficial over the holiday season when rich foods, holiday stress, and a break in your normal routines can cause bathroom breaks to become a bit irregular.
Shredded Brussels Sprout and Pomegranate Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb brussels sprouts
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 oz pancetta
- 1 large shallot
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- pinch salt and pepper
- Arils from one small pomegranate (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cups toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Thinly slice your Brussels sprouts using a mandolin if you have one. A knife will work as well, just make sure to slice them as thin as you can. Set shaved Brussel sprouts aside in a medium bowl.
- Finely chop the shallot. Mince the garlic and set both aside.
- Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add pancetta to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until browned and crispy. This will take about 7-8 minutes. Remove pancetta from the pan onto a small paper lined plate or bowl using a slotted spoon so that the remaining oil stays in the pan.
- Add the shallot and garlic to the pan. There should be enough oil remaining to cook them, add a small glug if the pan needs more. Cook the shallot and garlic until soft and translucent, but not yet browned, about 5 minutes.
- Once shallot and garlic are cooked, leave in the pan and add red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk dressing until combined. Add pancetta to the pan and heat for about 2 more minutes or until dressing is hot. Remove from heat and let sit one minute.
- Pour dressing over the shaved Brussels sprouts. Add pomegranate arils and toasted walnuts to the pan. Stir to combine or until dressing is mixed in well.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
