Brussels Sprouts-Fennel Slaw

(missing the red onion, which I was unexpectedly out of when I made this version!)

I served this Brussels Sprouts dish at Canadian Thanksgiving this year. Celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving in October always gives me a chance to try recipes before American Thanksgiving, and this one was a winner. There are so many flavors going on in the Thanksgiving meal, that this cold crisp vegetable salad with salty Locatelli cheese was a refreshing welcome and accompaniment to the mashed potatoes, bread stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey and gravy. Plus, it’s great in a sandwich the next day. Bonus.

Brussels Sprouts with Fennel, Radishes, Red Onion, Parsley and Locatelli Cheese

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced, soaked in water and rinsed
• 1 medium bulb fennel, thinly sliced
• 1 pound Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1 bunch radishes, julienned
• Locatelli (or Pecorino) cheese, shredded (as much or as little as you’d like)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon white wine or champagne vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Slice all the vegetables in very thin slices. Start with the red onion because you should soak the red onion in cold water for at least 20 minutes to take away some of the harsh flavor. You can do this while you slice the other vegetables. Mix the vegetables, the parsley leaves and the Locatelli cheese shavings together in a bowl.
2. In a small bowl combine the mustard, salt, pepper and vinegar. Blend well to dissolve the mustard and salt. Add the olive oil and check your seasoning, seasoning again if need be. (Remember the Locatelli cheese is quite salty.)
3. Toss the vegetables in the vinaigrette and serve. This is quite tasty the next day too.