As food bloggers, we seek inspiration in a variety of places: cookbooks, television, magazines, blogs, food porn sites, and restaurants. I’m lucky to live in a city with excellent restaurants and one of my great pleasures is to experience the food from some of the country’s best chefs in my own back yard.
We celebrated Jim’s birthday in December with a fantastic dinner at 4th and Swift, one of Atlanta’s outstanding restaurants helmed by Chef Jay Swift. Everything about the meal was memorable but the standout was the Crispy Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apple and Crème Fraîche. I vowed after eating it to recreate a version of this exceptional appetizer.
Most people seem to fall on one end of the spectrum or the other when it comes to Brussels sprouts. I happen to love them. Jim, not so much. I would venture to say that this doctored up version of Brussels sprouts might just make converts of the haters. After I made and photographed the plate, I took it outside, where Jim was working in the yard, to let him have a taste. Before I knew it, he had cleaned the plate and was licking his lips.
You can serve this course as a pre-dinner salad or as a side dish. Served at room temperature, this dish delivers a wonderful balance between the sweetness and tartness of the apples and apple cider dressing and the savory pancetta.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 pound pancetta, diced
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 apple, cored and thinly sliced (I used Pink Lady but you can use your favorite apple)
1/3 cup crème fraîche (thinned with a little milk to drizzling consistency)
Instructions
1. Bring apple cider and apple cider vinegar to a boil in a small sauce pan. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until reduced by half. Set aside and cool completely.
2. Brown pancetta in a small skillet over medium heat. Remove pancetta from the skillet, drain, and set aside. Transfer shallots to skillet and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add reduced apple cider and mustard and whisk until combined. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and continue whisking. Set aside.
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer Brussels sprouts to a baking sheet and place in oven. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until sprouts are browning and tender.
3. Spoon dressing on salad plates. Arrange Brussels sprouts and apple slices on plates. Garnish with pancetta and drizzle with crème fraîche.
https://southernboydishes.com/2014/01/21/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-apple-pancetta-and-creme-fraiche/
Bill Harris
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When I visit Atlanta, will make sure to visit the place.
I think it’s the best way to eat brussel sprouts, looks absolutely yum.
I love roast Brussels sprouts! Best way to cook them, IMO. They’ll definitely convert most people who didn’t think they liked Brussels sprouts. This is such a great dish — really creative. Thanks.
I haven’t been to 4th and Swift yet – but if they churn out dishes like this, I am gonna have to go sooner than later!
Wonderful inspiration and Brussels sprouts. It reminds me I need to go to 4th and Swift sometime.
I highly recommend 4th and Swift. It was an fantastic dinner!
Wow these brussel sprouts are incredible! I just want to dive into them and I am not even a big fan of brussel sprouts!