shaved brussels sprouts caesar salad

Caesar salad is (objectively) the king of salads.  It has it all—it’s tangy, savory, bright, and creamy. It coats lettuce in a particularly satisfying way and is the ideal accompaniment to three of the best things in life: pizza, pasta, and French fries.  

While I love a classic Caesar with crisp romaine and croutons, there’s no reason romaine should have all the fun. You can substitute lots of other veggies for the romaine. You could use kale (baby, Tuscan, or curly leaved), roasted broccoli, or thinly sliced sugar snap peas. Because it’s such a flavor-packed dressing it works really well with hearty, flavorful veggies.  For this salad, the Brussels sprouts get thinly sliced into ribbons and dressed. The whole thing is topped with more grated parmesan cheese, as well as lemon zest, black pepper, and chopped Marcona almonds. This would also be great with regular toasted almonds or toasted pepitas.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb Brussels sprouts

2 oil packed anchovy fillets

1 garlic clove

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (plus more on top)

¼ teaspoon black pepper (or a few turns, if using freshly ground)

Lemon zest for garnish

Marcona almonds, chopped (for garnish)

Step 1:

Prepare the Brussels sprouts by slicing them into thin rounds.  You can do this by holding onto the stem end of the Brussels sprout to steady the sprout against the cutting board.  Transfer shaved Brussels sprouts to a bowl.

Step 2:

For the dressing, start by preparing a bowl to whisk the dressing in.  You’ll need to steadily drizzle in the oil while whisking, so keeping your bowl steady will be really helpful.  To stabilize the mixing bowl, wrap a damp kitchen towel around the base of your bowl, sort of creating a nest around it.  

Step 3:

On a cutting board, place the anchovy filets, a pinch of salt, and chopped garlic in a little pile.  Run your knife through the ingredients until they become as finely chopped as possible.  You’re looking for a paste consistency.  You could also do this in a mortar and pestle.  Add the paste to the mixing bowl.

Step 4:

Add the egg yolk and whisk until combined with the paste.  Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until totally combined.  Now it’s time to whisk in your oil.  Start by Whisking the ingredients in the bowl.  Slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil and olive oil, whisking continuously.  The mixture will start to emulsify and become glossy.  Once thickened, stir in the grated parmesan cheese.

Step 5:

Add about ½ of the dressing to the shaved Brussels sprouts and toss to fully coat.  Add more if you would like more dressing, otherwise leave out.  You will likely have some dressing leftover.  Taste the Brussels sprouts for seasoning.  Add salt accordingly.  Transfer the salad to plate for serving.  Top with more grated Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper and lemon zest.  Sprinkle the chopped almonds, and enjoy!