Christmas Salad

We were eating brussel sprouts before they were a trend. My mom always made this salad around the holidays and it was always one of my favorites. So I decided to make it this past weekend, so of course I called my mom for the recipe and she told me that she lost it…or that one of my sisters borrowed it and she never got it back. So of course I was disappointed. I knew the main ingredients were brussel sprouts, cherry tomatoes and a really good vinaigrette dressing.

So I decided to make it from memory of what I thought it tasted like. So here is what I came up with, and I must say it was better than what I recalled.

Gigi’s Christmas Salad

1 package of brussel sprouts (I got mine from Trader Joes)

1 basket of cherry tomatoes (I had a basket from the farmers market- you want tomatoes that taste really good- I can’t wait to replant mine)

 

1 bunch of green onions chopped

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

sea salt & pepper

Make dressing first so flavors can blend and set aside. Trim brussel sprouts of dead leaves, and snip the little ends off. Bring a pot of salted water to boil, add brussel sprouts and cook for about 10 minutes, test one, you don’t want to over cook and make them mushy. Drain brussel sprouts and add ice to stop the cooking process, blanching makes the sprouts crisp and the green color “pop”, I’m into the appearance of food and I want it to look good.  Wash and cut cherry tomatoes in half, chop the “green” of the green onions, and finely chop the garlic, mix everything in a large bowl with dressing and gently toss, careful not to destroy the tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. You can make this salad early, because the brussel sprouts are firm and will not get soft.

Dressing

1/2 cup of honey

1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

juice of one lemon

1 shallot minced

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In small bowl, whisk together honey, vinegar, lemon juice, and shallots. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to form dressing. Season with salt and pepper. I double the recipe so that I can have a batch ready for another salad. The dressing is sweet and tangy.

I served this salad twice this weekend and it was a hit both times.

Friday evening I hosted my book club holiday party and I was pleasantly surprised, Robin Alexis one of our newest members shared some yuletide cheer. I looooove Christmas music and this was a treat. Robin and I met on Facebook a couple of years ago, she was living in Chicago and we connected via our interest in healthy living, and then about a year ago at a house party in LA she recognized me and we immediately hit it off. So take a moment and listen.

 

So my friends Happy Monday,

XOXO, GIGI

 

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