SHAVED BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD WITH LEMON DRESSING

The rule in my family is everyone at Christmas must consume at least one boiled Brussels sprout. I’m the only one who resists and tries to work around it or, at a minimum, drown it in gravy. In the last few years, I’ve made it my mission to learn to appreciate these little vegetables, ultimately discovering how much I like them sautéed with pasta or served raw in a salad like this one. If you have a mandoline, this salad comes together very quickly, but it won’t take too much longer without.

RECIPE:

  • 3 cups (750 mL) Brussels sprouts (about 15 to 20 medium ones)
  • 2 shallots, peeled
  • 1/3 cup (80 mL) sliced almonds, toasted and cooled

DRESSING:

  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) grainy mustard
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) sugar
  • salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

  • If using a mandoline, hold the stem end of each Brussels sprout and shave into a bowl, stopping when you get close to the stem and slices of the hard core of the sprout start to show up.
  • Repeat with the 2 shallots, shaving down to the root. (If using a knife, hold the Brussels sprout stem and cut as thinly as possible until the core of the sprout shows up. Repeat with the shallots.)
  • In a bowl, toss the shaved sprouts and shallots lightly, then add the almonds.
  • Make the dressing by adding the lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper to taste to a jar with a lid or to a bowl, then shaking or whisking well to mix.
  • Add the oil and shake or whisk again until emulsified. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
  • Pour most of the dressing over the salad and toss. Add more dressing as needed.

SERVES 4

CHEWY LEMON COOKIES

The search for a chewy lemon cookie recipe brings lots of traffic to my blog. It seems I’m not alone in wanting a cookie that has lots of lemon tang with some sweetness and softness. This cookie hits all those notes.

RECIPE:

  • 2 3/4 cups (685 mL) flour
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
  • 1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
  • 11/2 cups (375 mL) sugar, divided
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and 11/4 cups (310 mL) sugar until pale and fluffy, scraping down the side as necessary. Beat in the zest until well combined.
  • With the mixer on medium speed, add the egg, then the lemon juice, beating until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
  • Using a spoon, scoop out 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls of dough and roll them between your hands to form spheres. Drop into a small bowl of the remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) of sugar and roll gently with your fingertips to coat the dough on all sides.
  • Space the dough balls about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the cookie sheet and bake until the edges are cooked but the tops are still puffy, about 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies will be barely golden at the edges and still look ever so slightly uncooked on top. Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, until the tops have fallen and crinkled. Remove to a cooling rack.

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

BANH MI BURGERS WITH SPICY LIME MAYO AND PICKELED CARROTS

I have an unabashed, well-publicized, never-ending love for burgers. So, there definitely had to be one in this book. This pork burger is a play on Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches with a mayo I spiked with chili paste and cooling pickled carrots. Friends of mine have debated what the best bun is for the “Big Mi” burger, as it has since been nicknamed. Whether they side with sesame buns or hearty kaisers, all agree the buns should be lightly toasted.

SPICY LIME MAYO RECIPE:

  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) mayonnaise (approximately)
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lime juice
  • 11/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) chili paste (such as sambal oelek)

DIRECTIONS:

  • In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients. If the mixture seems too thin, add another tablespoon (15 mL) or so of mayonnaise to thicken. Taste for seasonings—adding more chili paste, if desired—and then refrigerate while making the burgers.

PICKELED CARROTS RECIPE:

  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
  • 2 cups (500 mL) julienned carrots (about 1/2 pound [250 g])


DIRECTIONS:

  • In a bowl large enough to fit the carrots, mix together the vinegar, 2 tablespoons (30 mL) hot water (from the tap is fine), sugar and salt. Stir together until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the carrots, mixing them in the pickling liquid. Set aside, stirring occasionally.
  • These can be made a few hours in advance and refrigerated until you’re ready to make the burgers.

BURGER RECIPE:

  • 1 egg
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) chili paste
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
  • 1 pound (500 g) ground pork
  • 11/2 tablespoons (22.5 mL) cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) panko (approximately)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL)
  • vegetable oil
  • 4 burger buns
  • Spicy Lime Mayo (recipe follows)
  • Pickled Carrots (recipe follows)
  • fresh basil or cilantro (or both)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Start by putting together the Spicy Lime Mayo and Pickled Carrots, which can be made ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble the burgers.
  • To make the burgers, in a large bowl whisk together the egg, green onions, garlic, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, chili paste, ginger and salt until well combined.
  • Add the ground pork and mix gently with your hands. (Overworking will lead to tough burgers.) Sprinkle the cornstarch and about half the panko over it, then gently mix again. If the pork mixture is too wet, add the rest of the panko. Divide the mixture evenly into quarters.
  • Add the oil to a large pan set over medium-high heat. When it starts to shimmer, form the pork mixture into balls, then squish slightly until they’re about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Press a dimple into the centre of each—this keeps the patty flat once cooked. Add the patties to the pan and fry until cooked through, flipping once, about 12 minutes total. (An internal temperature probe should read 160°F [71°C].)
  • Remove to a plate and assemble the burgers. Dollop some of the Spicy Lime Mayo onto the bottom of each bun (or both sides, because a good burger is a messy burger) and then top each one with a patty and some of the drained Pickled Carrots. Add fresh basil or cilantro leaves, if desired, and then the top half of the bun.

SERVES 4