Brussels sprouts, mushroom and apple salad

I had dinner a few weeks ago with at Rioja in Denver with my friend Mara. We had both been working all day and through the evening, so it was late before we set out, hungry and tired, in search of food.  It was one of those times when just finding a warm, quiet meal would have been fine, so landing in this gem of a restaurant was especially nice.  Rioja was packed and we didn’t have reservations, but the host found us two seats at the bar facing the kitchen where we could watch the cooking, and as it turned out, chat up the chef.

My dinner was great -- a quartet of vegetarian small plates with a brie ravioli, onion puree, broccoli rabe and acorn squash, and my favorite, tempura green beans and preserved lemons. I’d not have thought of preserved lemons as a tempura, but it gave a refreshing tartness in an otherwise mellow set of dishes.  Dinner was interesting, light and tasty. 

Mara’s dinner is the one that really caught my imagination.  She had a brussels sprout salad with an apple and pancetta vinaigrette, served over roasted acorn squash.   I didn’t ask for a taste because of the pancetta, but she raved about the salad, especially the apples, and asked the chef how they were prepared.  He said the diced apples are marinated in a ginger vinaigrette for four hours, then quickly sauted with the already-rendered pancetta.

I’ve worked up a vegetarian version of the salad since returning home, which probably isn’t quite the same but good nonetheless.  A fast saute on mushrooms gives a salty, earthy bite to the salad, replacing the pancetta.  I haven’t used squash at home, but some diced, roasted winter squash would make a great addition.

Brussels sprouts, apple and mushroom salad

Brussels sprouts, chopped into 1/4 inch strips.  Saute gently in a small amount of stock so that it cooks off in about five minutes just as the sprouts are getting tender.

Apples, 1/2 dice, marinated in champagne vinegar and ginger for four hours.  I use a few tablespoons of vinegar and a teaspoon of grated ginger, and toss the apples every so often.  Drain the apples and toss into the sprouts just before cooking is done to get them warm.

Crimini mushrooms, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks.  Sear the mushrooms in olive oil and salt in a hot pan.  You want to get a nice brown crispness without too much moisture loss.

Assemble the salad:

Use a bed of rocket, spinach or other sturdy greens.  Toss a bit of olive oil and pepper into the sprout-apple mixture, then pile it warm on the greens.  Top with parmesan cheese cut into curls with a vegetable grater.   Put the hot mushrooms on top.  Finish with a light drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar.