Brussel Sprout Salad with Almonds and Goat Cheese

I don't like brussel sprouts, but that's beside the point. Today I will make them and win myself over! Why? Well, first off, they're adorable. Secondly, they're incredibly healthy. Full of fiber, vitamins C, E, A and K, folate and more.

When I've had brussel sprouts before (roasted or sauteed) they've tasted bitter to me. So today I'm making a raw preparation. I assumed they would taste like cabbage, which I like, so I sliced a bit and had a taste. Just like cabbage only a little sweeter. Nice.

I'm combining them with smoked almonds (I have a bag from Trader Joe's that's been sitting around, untouched by resident snackers), warm goat cheese (to add some gooey and tangy) and a sherry vinaigrette (to compliment the smoky nuts). Quite tasty and a good option for a winter slaw/salad.

Use a serrated knife to slice the sprouts thinly

Brussel Sprout Salad with Smoked Almonds and Goat Cheese

Serves 4

18 brussel sprouts (4 cups shredded)
1/2 cup smoked almonds
4 oz. goat cheese
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped shallots
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
4-5 tablespoons olive oil (depending on how acidic you like it)

Whisk egg and pepper together in a small bowl. Place Panko crumbs in a shallow dish. Slice goat cheese into 4 rounds, dip in egg wash, then in panko making sure to coat thoroughly.  Place on a small plate, cover with plastic wrap and put in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until firm (you can do this in advance up to a few days if you wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap).

While the cheese freezes, wash the brussel sprouts in cold water and roll on a clean towel to dry. Slice thinly with a serrated knife to within ¼ inch of root end (where it gets bitter). Place in bowl.

Feed almonds through tube in your food processor, using the smallest slicing blade. Alternately, you can chop them up with a heavy knife.

Make vinaigrette by combining vinegar, shallots and mustard and then whisking in olive oil.

Preheat oven to 450º.  Take goat cheese out of freezer and place on baking sheet lined with a little parchment paper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of the cheese rounds. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden. 

Toss brussel sprouts with vinaigrette, sprinkle with the almonds and top with a round or two of goat cheese (while it's still warm). 

I used the slicing blade on my
food processor and fed the almonds
 through the tube to get this rough mix.