Brussel Sprouts with Pickled Carrots, Walnuts, Coriander and Citrus
This is a warm winter salad, discovered first at a friend’s house in the US and then replicated many times back in Italy. It is slightly different each time, but equally delicious. If you want to make it more satisfying, stir through some cooked farro.
INGREDIENTS
350g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthways
50g Pickled carrots, sliced (see below for how)
75g Walnuts, roughly chopped and lightly toasted. You can substitute with hazelnuts or pecans or even use a mix of nuts and seeds, as you prefer
2 Spring onions (including a bit of the green tops), finely sliced diagonally
1 bunch Coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 bunch Flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
½ lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – we love Tenuta Torre di Mossa from the De Carlo family in Puglia for this dish. Monocultivar Coratina, it has wonderful elegance as well as a decisive kick and is packed full of Polyphenols.
Flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Firstly, make the pickled carrots (or you may of course have shop bought). If you are making them, peel and slice your carrots length ways. Then slice diagonally to make slim chip shapes (something larger than sticks). Then in a small bowl, add a grated clove of garlic, 2 dried chillies and a tablespoon of toasted coriander seeds. Then add in 1tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp caster sugar and then top up the bowl to cover the carrots with hot water. Allow to stand for at least 30 mins to absorb the flavour.
Heat a large heavy bottomed frying pan over a medium heat. Add around 60ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the pan and the sliced garlic and cook gently until it is soft and fragrant. Lift out the garlic and discard (it will have flavoured the oil).Then add the brussels sprouts, cut side down, season well and cook gently until they are tender all the way through – typically about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the pickled carrots, half the walnuts and the spring onions and toss together.
In a small bowl combine the lemon juice with a ratio of 1:3 olive oil and some flaked sea salt. Spoon over the sprouts and toss again. Then add the coriander and parsley and toss. Adjust seasoning to your taste.
Plate up and add the final half of nuts to serve along with grated lemon zest.