January 16, 2012

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Moliterno Black Truffle Pecorino, Toasted Hazelnuts & Meyer Lemon Dressing (inspired by The Frisky Oyster)Meyer Lemons are rounder, sweeter and less acidic than traditional lemons, as well as a deeper shade of yellow. Both Brussels Sprouts and Meyer Lemons are harvested during the winter, so this is a great seasonal salad. 
1 pound Brussels Spouts2 ounces Black Truffle Pecorino (use plain pecorino if you’d like)1/3 cup Hazelnuts2 Meyer Lemons1 Tbsp Sugar1 Tbsp Water 2 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil SaltFreshly ground Black Pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until brown (tip: if they still have skins, after you’ve toasted them, add them to a paper bag and rub the outside of the bag until the skins fall off.) Remove lemon zest using a vegetable peeler. Scrape any remaining pith (white substance) from the zest with a knife and discard. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch zest for 5 minutes. Juice lemons (with pulp) into a bowl (or a blender if you have one). Add blanched zest, sugar and water. Using a hand blender, blend ingredients until smooth. Continue blending and add 2 Tbsp olive oil in a steady stream. Blend for another minute or so and set aside.
Using a knife or mandoline, chop Brussels sprouts into thin ribbons, throwing out the thicker stalks. In a bowl, toss with a 1 Tbsp Olive Oil to coat. Season with salt and black pepper.  Pile Brussels Sprouts on a plate. Use a vegetable peeler to shave pecorino onto salad. Drizzle lemon dressing around the edges of the salad (you don’t need much!) and sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts.