Brussel Sprouts with Pecorino and Walnuts
As the Fall season arrives, I am ready for sautéed or roasted brussel sprouts. However, early Fall in San Francisco feels like summer and I’m still wanting to make salads. This salad is well rounded with taste: brussel spouts – bitter; walnuts – astringent; pecorino romano – salty and sour. The same can be said for the dressing. If you want more brightness, you could add more lemon or reduce the mustard in the dressing. You could also add a fresh herb. This dish is also great the next day, and the brussel sprouts stay crisp.
• ¾ cup walnuts, whole
• 1 lb brussel sprouts
• ¼ cup pecorino romano cheese, plus 2-3 Tbs reserved
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ Tbs Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup olive oil
Lightly toast walnuts on low to medium heat stovetop, tossing often. Set aside to cool.
Trim the bottom of the brussel sprouts and thinly slice them. I used a knife
but a mandolin may slice them more evenly. Place thesprouts into a large bowl. For the dressing, whisk the last 3 ingredients with a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the brussel sprouts and mix well. Cover and put brussel sprout mixture in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Taste the sprouts and add more dressing if desired.
Coarsely chop the walnuts and grate the cheese.
Add ¾ of the walnuts and ¼ cup of the cheese to mixture and toss.
Extra dressing can be added or stored for another use.
Enjoy!
