I’ll admit that when winter rolled for the first time in Seasonal Potluck history last year, it was a real eye opener. Until then, I had never really given a ton of thought to eating seasonally other than knowing that strawberries and watermelon were summer foods. When winter rolled around, all I could think was, “Yuck. Beets.” Fortunately, I learned that citrus was seasonal in the winter time, and we featured lemons last January. What a relief! However, when winter started to creep up on us this year, I once again found myself dreading those nasty beets. But I’ve come a long way since last year. I’m all about eating seasonally now, and know that there are a ton of delicious foods that grow in the winter, and its not all just beets and turnips. Also, beets aren’t so bad.
So lets give a warm welcome to brussels sprouts! I’m probably the only kid in America who has loved brussels sprouts my whole life, although these days I cook them fresh instead of microwaving a frozen bag the way my mom used to. If you’ve never tried them before, definitely give this salad a whirl. Its sweet, and salty and smoky all at the same time. I think you’ll really change the way you feel about brussels sprouts after having it.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apple Salad recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
- 2 cups brussels sprouts, trimmed, and quartered
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 apple, cored, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
- 2 ounces feta, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons torn fresh mint leaves
Preheat oven to 425°. Place brussels sprouts on a baking sheet. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. oil over. Season well with salt and pepper. Toss with your hands so sprouts are evenly coated then spread sprouts in a thin layer. Roast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, 15–20 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, combine thinly sliced apple and lemon juice in a large bowl. When brussels sprouts are cool, add to apple mixture. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Season with additional salt and pepper.
photo courtesy of The Kitchn
