Two Blondes & a Brussels Sprout Salad {recipe}

Not too long ago, I visited my best friend, Abra, (of more than 15 years!) on the West coast.  We had an amazing time exploring, shopping, beach cruising from Venice to Malibu, and of course dining out!  Since I’m such a veggie freak, I thoroughly enjoyed all the fresh, healthy and innovative dishes in Los Angeles.  There was however, one dish (from the M Street Kitchen restaurant) that I couldn’t not get enough of.  In fact, I counldn’t leave California without getting my hands on the recipe.  Without further ado, here it is-the famous M Street Kitchen (formerly La Grande Orange) Brussels Sprout Salad…

La Grande Brussels Sprout Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
(serves 6 as a side dish)

INGREDIENTS

For the Brussels sprout salad…

• 1 lb. Brussels sprouts
• 1 Tbsp. dried cranberries
• 2 Tbsp. toasted whole almonds (I also add an extra tablespoon of almond slivers)
• 1 ounce of shaved Manchego cheese (you can substitute for shaved parmesan too)

For the mustard vinaigrette dressing…

• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice with pulp
• 1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tsp. whole grain mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 3/4 cup light olive oil
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Slice the Brussels sprouts in half and blanch them in the boiling water just until the leaves are vibrant green (approx. 5 minutes).  Strain them immediately and cool with cold water.  Dry thoroughly & set aside.

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a medium size bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill before using, dressing will keep for one week.

To toast the almonds, lay them on a piece of foil and bake them at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes.  Keep a close eye on them, they burn very quickly!

In a large bowl, mix the Brussel sprouts (you may need to pull them apart a bit if the leaves didn’t separtate enough when boiled), cranberries, nutes and just enough vinaigrette to lightly moisten.

Mound the salad on a plate and top ith the cheese shavings.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!