Lemony brussel sprout slaw w/ dates, pistachios & mint
Hello! It feels as though so much has happened since I last posted on the blog. It's actually only been about 12 days but it's been a mad action-packed wee time. I was part of the first Kinfolk global gathering in Auckland this past weekend. Very exciting indeed. For those not familiar with Kinfolk Magazine and their gorgeous dinners and workshops, check out this link . On Saturday 17th May 2014 at locations around the world, groups of creative / foodie types came together to produce beautiful meals, in gorgeous settings. The global theme was "L'sprit De Le Mer". Auckland Kinfolk host Greta Kenyon invited me to be part of the Auckland event, to take care of the menu design and cooking. I was really thrilled to be asked.
Long story short, I was smart enough to enlist the help of mega talented Auckland food writer and cook, Delaney Mes from Heartbreak Pie. I've followed Delaney's work for a while, really love her sassy writing style and had a hunch we'd be kindred spirits in the kitchen.
The whole experience was really fun and I adored seeing the menu I wrote come to life. We're still gathering the pictures together so I'll share those with you as soon as I can along with some of the delicious recipes. I'll pop some social media snaps at the end of this post.
In the meantime I'm here to present you with your new favourite winter salad. Seriously. No need to thank me. Raw brussel sprouts will change the way you think about eating your greens during the colder months. We all know brussel sprouts are amazing roasted, left to go gorgeously crispy and sprinkled generously with salt. They are just as addictive this way. I slice them very very thinly, dress the salad in a mustardy lemon vinaigrette and toss it all together with caramelly dates, rich pistachios and a big handful of chopped herbs.
This salad will work best if you slice your brussel sprouts on a mandoline. My mandoline is a really cheap one (like this - I bought it at 50% off) and I use it all the time. You'll be addicted to slicing everything wafer thin!
Play around with different flavours. This salad is incredibly customisable. Try different nuts and dried fruit, add slivers of fennel, or toss through poached chicken. Lunch or dinner. Brussel sprouts have got you covered.
Talk soon. Kelly x
3-4 cups brussels sprouts - sliced very thin on a mandoline ideally
1/4 dates - chopped thinly
1/3 cup pistashio nuts - roughly chopped
large handful mint - roughly chopped
Sea salt & cracked pepper
zest of one lemon
Dressing
80ml olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
juice of one juicy lemon
1 tsp honey / brown sugar / maple syrup
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake virgourously until very well combined. Alternativly you can whisk it all together in a jug or even use an immersion / stick blender to lightly emulsify the dressing. All methods will produce a good result.
Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.
Pour the dressing over salad and toss well until it is evenly coated.
Add salt and pepper to suit your taste and potentially another squeeze of lemon juice if needed. Garnish with more chopped pistachios and a grind of pepper on top.
Can be enjoyed immediately or will last quite well as a lunch salad. (Ideally slice thicker if leaving dressed for a long period of time)
Enjoy. x
