red or green?: Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Avocado & Pomegranate Seeds

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

This is a delicious fall salad perfect for a casual night's supper or a more elegant dinner. I plan to add to my Thanksgiving menu. The brussels sprouts & avocado pairing is inspired by a vegetable recipe from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.The creaminess of the avocado and the sweetness of the roasted brussels sprouts is wonderful together. I turned the dish into a salad and added pomegranate seeds for taste, crunch, and color.

Meet Jasper!

We attended a final "advanced obedience training and cookout" last week with our dog Jasper. He is a fairly new rescue and had never been trained during his first 1 1/2 years of life. At 75 pounds, he is a big "puppy" and training was required. The group in the class became friends, and the cookout was a way of celebrating all of our dogs' (and our own) progress. I brought this salad, and it was a hit. Everyone asked for the recipe which is my test for determining if something is "bloggable." I hope you enjoy it too.

Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Avocado & Pomegranate Seeds
Inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
serves 8

3 lbs brussels sprouts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large Hass avocado, pitted and diced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 pecans
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
8 handfuls salad greens

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the brussels sprouts and cook (blanch) for 3-4 minutes until they turn vivid bright green. (time depends on the size of the sprouts). Drain and place on a dry tea towel. Gently dry the sprouts with the towel. Place on a cutting board and slice sprouts in half. Place in a medium bowl and cover with the 1/4 cup olive oil. Combine until they are coated with the oil.

Turn out the sprouts (including the oil) onto a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet, cut side down. Sprinkle with a teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until they are tender and beginning to caramelize. Remove from oven and set aside.

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Coarsely chop.

Add the brussels sprouts, including any oil in the pan, to the used medium bowl. Stir in the red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar, avocado, pomegranate seeds, and pecans. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Line a serving bowl with the salad greens. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mound the brussels sprouts mixture over the greens and serve.