This is not your Grandma’s brussel sprout. This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite restaurants, Buccan. With their motto of “small plates, big flavor”, this dish sure packs a punch out of a vegetable most people would usually avoid. By baking the brussel sprout, the nutty flavors of this nutritious veggie emerge and make one of the best salads I have ever eaten. The Warm Brussel Sprout Caesar is a must when on Buccan’s seasonal menu.  And since it’s not currently on their menu, I made it a mission to try to recreate it on my own. I share with you,  my version of an updated classic.

Ingredients

• 30 Brussel Sprouts, shaved
• 1/2 Cup + Parmesan Cheese, shaved
• Handful Sunflower Seeds
• Croutons, such as Rosemary Infused Croutons
• Olive Oil
• Paprika
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Caesar Dressing, bottled or recipe below

Caesar Dressing Ingredients (modification from Ina Garten)

• 1 1/2 cups Good Olive Oil
• 1 extra-large Egg Yolk at room temperature (or 2 tbls Mayonnaise)
• 8 Anchovy Fillets (optional)
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 Lemons, Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tbls Worcestershire
• A few Dashes of Hot Pepper Sauce, such as Tabasco
• 1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Chop the brussel sprouts into thin shreds. Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, paprika, and salt & pepper. Bake the brussel sprouts until they start to wilt and brown a bit on the edges, about 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure smaller pieces are not burning, turning as needed. Once cooked, place to the side to cool.

If you are making the dressing, please follow the next steps. Otherwise skip to when the brussel sprouts are cooled.

For the dressing, place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, worcestershire, tabasco, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube, until thick. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse 3 times.

Once the brussel sprouts are cooled, mix them in a bowl with the shaved cheese, sunflower seeds and dressing. Add salt & pepper to taste. Toss the croutons on top and serve  promptly.