Shaved Brussels Salad

This salad will make even the most die-hard Brussels sprouts haters begrudgingly admit that maybe those creepy cabbage babies aren't as bad as they thought. It requires zero cooking skills, and ingredients can be swapped out in a variety of ways making it uber versatile- from a brunchy side dish to stealing the spotlight on Thanksgiving. Plus, because raw Brussels sprouts are basically shelf stable, you can make it ahead 1-2 days and just mix in the dressing like an hour before serving, although I personally feel like it gets better overnight.

Any firm cheese will work - Parmesan, Pecorino, Asiago, I've- even heard of people using pepper Jack. Manchego is hands down my favorite but can def be hard to find.

Any chopped nuts will work - I've used walnuts, almonds, non-candied pecans, even toasted hazelnuts. But once I used candied pecans w/ a little hint of cinnamon, I never looked back. They add a sweetness and depth of flavor that screams fall vibes louder than a PSL. Pro tip: make your own candied pecans, its super easy and you can control how sweet and cinnamon-y they are. The ones I have found in stores either don't have cinnamon or are way too sweet and impossible to chop.

Any dried fruit will work - Cranberries, cherries, even apricots. Cranberries are always a crowd fav, cherries give an extra level of tartness, and apricots are obvi more of a summer vibe, but dates are perfectly sweet and just have that brown sugary, maple-y flavor that speaks to my heart.

Any type of apple will work - Fuji, gala, honeycrisp (which is a close second), but the zing of the Granny Smith in every bite is the perfect palate cleanser.

The range of measurements for the mix-ins is because you may want less dates, more chopped nuts, or whatever, everyone has their own texture preferences.

Aaaand the dressing - Some will say the champagne vinegar is extra, and not worth the hunt. Haters gonna hate. Would you really be able to tell if you just used white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar? Probs not. But when you bring this dish to a fall gathering or are serving it up as part of a fancy brunch spread, saying “with a champagne vinaigrette” just feels right, you know? Honestly use whatever vinegar tickles your fancy and /or whatever you have on hand. Except red wine vinegar, don't use that one. Oh, and careful with the shallots - they will definitely linger all up in your nasals for a while, so go easy on those guys if onions aren't your jam.

Salad

1 lb bag Brussels sprouts - shaved

1 granny smith apple - cubed

1/2-1 cup dates - pitted, sliced

8-12 oz manchego cheese - cubed

1/2-1 cup candied pecans - chopped

Dressing

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup Olive oil

2 tbsp chopped shallots- approx 1 small shallot

2 tsp honey, maple syrup, or agave

1 tsp Dijon mustard

kosher salt or fine sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Chop, slice, and shave all the things. If you have a food processor w/ a slicing attachment do yourself a favor and use it

2. Mix together all the salad ingredients

3. Place all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend. If you don't have either, don't fret my pet, just mince those shallots as tiny as you can and shake everything up in a jar with a lid really hard for a few min.

4. Pour dressing over the salad and mix. Don't just dump it all in, you will likely have way more dressing than you need.