Make Jean Georges Vongerichten’s Brussels Sprout Salad

By Melissa Wiley in Food on Nov 11, 2014 5:15PM

Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten, consulting chef for the Pump Room (1301 N. State Pkwy.) and the culinary bravura behind such restaurants as ABC Kitchen and the eponymous Jean Georges in New York City, keeps holiday meals causal. “Seasonal platters are best for the holidays. That’s the way I grew up in Alsace—everyone serves themselves—and that’s the way we still eat when I cook for friends and family,” he told us last week inside the Pump Room kitchen, when he also prepared a raw Brussels sprouts salad meant to elicit return trips to the serving dish.

Here’s the recipe in case you want to make this simple, delicious salad at home. Feel free to improvise, substituting broccoli or cabbage for the Brussels sprouts, and adding some peppers for spice:

Vinaigrette:

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2 cups Torrontés or other sparkling wine 1 cup extra virgin olive oil ½ cup Dijon mustard ½ cup lemon juice ½ teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Transfer to a 9-inch pan.

Brussels sprouts leaves:

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Remove outer leaves of a handful of Brussels sprouts. Fry in pan until edges are golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a C-fold lined sheet tray. Season with salt and pepper then set aside.

Salad:

Photo by Melissa Wiley

1 cup Brussels sprouts, shaved thinly on a mandoline
1 ounce vinaigrette
2 teaspoon chives, minced
5 pieces marcona almonds, toasted and halved
Black pepper
Shepherd’s basket cheese, microplaned
5 to 6 Brussels sprout leaves, fried

Place shaved Brussels sprouts in a bowl and mix with vinaigrette. Allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in chives and transfer to a shared plate. Scatter Marcona almonds on top of Brussels sprouts. Microplane an even layer of Manchego cheese on top. Cover with freshly ground black pepper. Top with fried leaves.