The warm salad that got away.
December 1, 2012 8:33 AM Subscribe
I made a delicious fall winter salad once, and it was the best thing ever. But now I can't find the recipe anywhere! Help me?
The salad in question contained roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and croutons of toasted bread. I made it a few years ago from a recipe that I found online, but now I can't seem to find anything but panzanella recipes, and the warm salad of my dreams definitely did not have red onion. I remember that I used nutty, whole wheat bread and that it was fantastic.
Please help me find my favorite warm Brussels sprouts salad recipe?
The salad in question contained roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and croutons of toasted bread. I made it a few years ago from a recipe that I found online, but now I can't seem to find anything but panzanella recipes, and the warm salad of my dreams definitely did not have red onion. I remember that I used nutty, whole wheat bread and that it was fantastic.
Please help me find my favorite warm Brussels sprouts salad recipe?
Perhaps this recipe from Oprah?
I googled using brussels sprouts/butternut squash/salad.
posted by sciencegeek at 9:21 AM on December 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
I googled using brussels sprouts/butternut squash/salad.
posted by sciencegeek at 9:21 AM on December 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Could it be this one from Serious Eats in 2009?
posted by theatro at 9:22 AM on December 1, 2012 [11 favorites]
posted by theatro at 9:22 AM on December 1, 2012 [11 favorites]
Best answer: I don't know if this is the one you meant, but I have one in rotation that goes like this. No idea where it came from:
1. Cut and parboil your squash. Parboil your brussel sprouts. Slice the sprouts in half after you've ice-bathed the sprouts. Alternately, you can roast both veggies.
2. Foam some butter, add minced garlic, salt, thyme, then stir in your roughly cubed slightly stale bread. Spread on a baking sheet, bake until crispy. Or you can crisp them on the stovetop. Whichever you prefer. You can sprinkle them with Parmesan if you like. Or you can add some soft cheese to the whole salad. Or skip it.
3. Heat a little oil in the pan (I just use the same skillet I did the croutons in). Cook a minced shallot in it until a little tiny bit soft. Remove the shallot from the pan and whisk it into 2 tbs vinegar (I like cider but sherry works well, too), 1-2 tsps mustard (I like dijon), more thyme, salt, pepper and 5-6 tbs oil (I like walnut). Set your dressing aside for now.
3-Alternate. You can actually do this step with bacon--I like this step with bacon--if you're not vegetarian. Fry some bacon, set it aside, reserving all the fat. Put about a tablespoon of fat in the pan for softening the shallot. Save the rest for cooking the veggies in the next step.
4. Heat a little more oil in the pan. If you've parboiled your veggies, sautee your squash until nicely browned. Set aside. Heat a little more oil in the pan. Place your brussels sprouts cut side down and cook without touching 3-4 minutes. Stir and add some chestnuts. Maybe some sage. Or some marcona almonds. You could wilt a little arugula instead of the sage. Or in addition to the sage. Or just toss some arugula in when you mix everything together.
5. Combine everything but the croutons. Toss with the dressing. Add the croutons. Add more Parmesan or a goat cheese, if you want.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:32 AM on December 1, 2012 [14 favorites]
1. Cut and parboil your squash. Parboil your brussel sprouts. Slice the sprouts in half after you've ice-bathed the sprouts. Alternately, you can roast both veggies.
2. Foam some butter, add minced garlic, salt, thyme, then stir in your roughly cubed slightly stale bread. Spread on a baking sheet, bake until crispy. Or you can crisp them on the stovetop. Whichever you prefer. You can sprinkle them with Parmesan if you like. Or you can add some soft cheese to the whole salad. Or skip it.
3. Heat a little oil in the pan (I just use the same skillet I did the croutons in). Cook a minced shallot in it until a little tiny bit soft. Remove the shallot from the pan and whisk it into 2 tbs vinegar (I like cider but sherry works well, too), 1-2 tsps mustard (I like dijon), more thyme, salt, pepper and 5-6 tbs oil (I like walnut). Set your dressing aside for now.
3-Alternate. You can actually do this step with bacon--I like this step with bacon--if you're not vegetarian. Fry some bacon, set it aside, reserving all the fat. Put about a tablespoon of fat in the pan for softening the shallot. Save the rest for cooking the veggies in the next step.
4. Heat a little more oil in the pan. If you've parboiled your veggies, sautee your squash until nicely browned. Set aside. Heat a little more oil in the pan. Place your brussels sprouts cut side down and cook without touching 3-4 minutes. Stir and add some chestnuts. Maybe some sage. Or some marcona almonds. You could wilt a little arugula instead of the sage. Or in addition to the sage. Or just toss some arugula in when you mix everything together.
5. Combine everything but the croutons. Toss with the dressing. Add the croutons. Add more Parmesan or a goat cheese, if you want.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:32 AM on December 1, 2012 [14 favorites]
oh sorry I see the Oprah one does have red onion. Could you have omitted it?
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:56 AM on December 1, 2012
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:56 AM on December 1, 2012
Response by poster: Thank you theatro and crush-onastick, that's exactly what I was looking for.
posted by Dr. Regardless at 10:17 AM on December 1, 2012
posted by Dr. Regardless at 10:17 AM on December 1, 2012
Excellent! And you've totally made me want to try this salad now.
posted by theatro at 10:33 AM on December 1, 2012
posted by theatro at 10:33 AM on December 1, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by zadcat at 9:09 AM on December 1, 2012 [5 favorites]