Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Adapted fromTanya Holland’s Californa Soul, which was one of Cooks Without Borders’ Best New Cookbooks of 2022. Holland’s original recipe calls for shaving the Brussels sprouts either using a mandoline, a very sharp knife or the thinnest blade of a food processor. To us, a sharp knife is best. A mandoline wants to eat your fingers when it cuts something that small, and a food processor can mangle it. We like the tactile immediacy of hand-slicing, and then fluffing the sliced sprouts with our fingers. It all results in a delicious, craveable salad.

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds small Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and any blemished leaves removed

6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped roughly

1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Use a sharp knife to slice the Brussels sprouts into thin shavings. Transfer to a serving bowl and, using your hands, fluff and separate the shavings.

2. Make the dressing: In a medium-small skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, fry the bacon until brown and crisp and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, then sprinkle over the Brussels sprouts. Reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon fat in the pan and save the rest for another use.

3. Rewarm the fat over medium heat, remove from heat, then whisk in the mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar and salt until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the Brussels sprouts, add 9 or 10 grinds of pepper and toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper, if necessary. Toss again and serve.