Festive Brussels sprouts, kale and bacon salad
I made this salad for a party that was actually a mac ‘n cheese cook-off. My current, albeit casual affair with gluten intolerance made me want something else on the table. Something a little healthier and with a bit of a contrasting texture to cheesy pasta.
But it was actually SJ, my first friend in D.C., who introduced me to the concept of eating Brussels sprouts raw. I never liked Brussels sprouts. Let’s just say, my mom is British, and although she is a fabulous cook, she still cooks Brussels sprouts like a Brit. And in America, though I had already been inaugurated into the world of fried and butter braised Brussels sprouts, my feelings towards these stinky little cabbages were still pretty lukewarm. On the evening where I met Brian (they are now married!) we grilled out at the pool in her apartment building and SJ made the raw Brussels sprouts salad that changed everything. Better than salad leaves because there is flavor, crunch and substance. Better than cabbage because you aren’t mentally limited to mayonnaise-ey social constructs. And better than anything else too, because bacon. O.K. she didn’t put bacon in hers but this one has it and it’s good.
It was delicious and I have been making versions of this ever since. The recipe here is the best I have come up with: rich salty bacon, sweet raisins, crunchy nuts and salty, savory Chinese condiments. Its all about textures, man. Plus, its healthy! We need more holiday food that actually gives us some nutrients, less sugar and less fat. Don’t get me wrong, I love sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top, but the resemblance to vegetables is very vague. For-the-love-of-my-arteries, PLEASE can we have something fresh on our plates too? Why yes, yes you can. Here is a recipe.
Oh and here’s a little Easter egg: I took the photo of ingredients before I made the salad, obvs. But I didn’t notice that the trail mix (“Ah my peanuts and raisins all in one neat package, how clever of me!”) was actually filled with peanut-coloured caramel drops and raisin-coloured chocolate drops. You can see them in the next picture. I only noticed when I tipped everything into the same bowl. Took an effing long time to pick those out, I can tell you!
Ingredients
Prep time: 10-20 mins
Degree of difficulty: Easy
Portions: Enough to feed a party or a shareable side for 8
1 pound Brussels sprouts (buy them shaved if you don’t already have a food processor - life is too short to hand shave BS)
1 bunch kale
1/2 a medium sized red onion
3/4 cup peanuts
3/4 cup raisins (or cranberries if you are feeling super-festive)
1 pack of bacon (you need the whole pack cos you have to cook this and let it cool. I can’t be the only one who has to quality check a rasher or 4..)
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine or apple cider vinegar
Method
Lay the bacon out on parchment paper on a baking tray. Bake on 425 F for 15 mins or so until crispy (you have to watch it, all bacon behaves differently). Remove from oven, drain and leave to cool, then roughly chop and try not to eat too much before it goes in the salad.
Peel the (clean) kale off of the stalks and roughly tear into bite sized pieces. Pour over the sesame oil and rub it into the kale leaves. Do this in the largest mixing bowl you have as all other ingredients will go in here eventually.
If you have a food processor and you need to shave your BS, get it out and attach the slicer attachment. Throw all the BS’s in and slice-em up, don’t bother trimming unless the ends are brown. It’s quite amazing the volume you get from a pound right? Add to the kale. Or if you bought shaved, throw it in the bowl.
Peel and finely dice your red onion, put the rest in a Ziplock bag for another use.
Add everything else to the mixing bowl except a sprinkling of nuts, sesame seeds and a couple of raisins (just to make the top look appetizing later).
Toss everything together - then taste: if it needs more acidity, add a splash more vinegar. If it needs more salty-ness, a splash more soy.
Leave to marinate till serving. When you are ready to eat, give it all a last toss, plate on a pretty dish and sprinkle with the extra nuts, seeds and raisins.
Enjoy!