There is no denying I am a homebody. To me, there is nothing more relaxing and comforting than spending time in my kitchen, or snuggled up on the couch (PJ’s required). Does this make me antisocial?? Past six o’clock on a weekday, you can count on finding Boy, our furry four legged daughters, and I in the living room catching up on our favorite TV shows. We like to let one entire season of a show build up on our DVR and then have a marathon viewing.
You may be wondering what in the world this has to do with today’s dish – Shredded & Roasted Brussels Sprouts ‘Caesar’ style Salad. Well it has nothing and everything to do with Banshee, our most recent TV marathon viewing session. Which also happens to be one of my top 5 favorite TV shows, please tell me you have seen it. Or at least heard about it?
Anyways, this Shredded & Roasted Brussels Sprouts ‘Caesar’ Salad with Goat Cheese, Bacon & Poached Egg is spectacularly delicious. It is so delectable, I had it for lunch 4 days in a row. And I totally would have had it for dinner those same days, if it wasn’t for Banshee.
You see, Boy and I have a ritual when it comes to our marathon TV pow-wows. Popcorn. It is what’s for dinner. Movie theatre butter for him, and 94% fat free, with a sprinkling of ranch powder, for me. Normally I love this pop-tastic ritual of ours, but this time all I could think about was the shredded, roasted deliciousness of the brussels salad, as I shoveled popcorn into my pie hole. My brain and tummy just wanted my face to swan dive right into this flavorful salad.
Let us discuss this mama-jama of a salad, shall we? The brussels sprouts are shredded and roasted until deeply golden in color, providing a slightly smoky, delicious caramelized flavor for the base of the salad. The thinly sliced, and barely roasted, shallots add a touch of garlicky, onion punch, which mingles wonderfully with the sprouts.
Rendered and diced bacon’s salty, crispness perfectly complements, and enhances, the bites of creamy decadence from the crumbled goat cheese. A light tossing, or drizzling, of the thick, creamy, tangy, zippy Dijon-Caesar dressing makes this salad sheer perfection.
But, I just couldn’t stop there. I had to add a poached egg on top. Its soft, runny, silky, divine luxuriousness takes this salad to a place dreams are made of.
Simply from typing all this out, I can’t stop salivating at the mouth like a rabid dog. This shredded brussels ‘Caesar’ style salad is just that flippin’ amaze-balls delish. It is everything a salad should be… times a bazillion, plus a million. And then some.
I could most definitely keep going on and on, but I gave myself another craving and I must have this salad. Again. Now. Dang, brussels sprouts can be addicting! Gotta jet so I can crack the husband whip, and get Boy to take his cute tookis to the store, because this mama needs some sprouts!!
Until next time, make this. But, fair warning, you will probably want to be my #bestie for life. Friend request accepted, because you obviously have great taste. 🙂 Cheers!
-xoxo-
Cheyanne
Shredded & Roasted Brussels Sprouts 'Caesar' Salad with Goat Cheese, Bacon & Poached Egg
Ingredients
- Salad:
- 1 ½ Pounds Brussels Sprouts – trimmed, outer leaves removed and cut in ½
- 6 Slices thick cut Bacon (about ½ Cup)
- 1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 2 large Shallots – cut in ½ and thinly sliced
- 1/3 heaping Cup Goat Cheese – crumbled
- 3 heaping TBS Scallions , white and green parts – sliced (about 2 large stalks)
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 TBS White Wine Vinegar
- Dressing:
- 1 clove Garlic – minced
- ½ tsp Anchovy Paste (optional)
- 1 ½ TBS lemon juice (juice of ½ a lemon)
- 2 heaping tsp Dijon Mustard
- ¾ tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- 3 TBS Parmigiano-Reggiano – grated
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Pepper
- Serving Suggestions: Crusty artisanal bread- sliced and toasted.
Instructions
- Make Dressing: Whisk together all ingredients in a small mixing bowl until well combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Cook Bacon: Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place a wire rack insert into baking sheet. Lay bacon slices, not overlapping, on rack. Place bacon into COLD oven and turn oven onto 400 degrees. Bake bacon until crisp and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer bacon to a clean cutting board and coarsely chop. RESERVE BACON DRIPPINGS and set aside.
- For the Brussels Sprouts: Fit a food processor with the slicing blade. Add the halved Brussels sprouts to the processor and coarsely shred.
- Toss the shredded Brussels sprouts and shallots with 1 tablespoon reserved bacon drippings and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with measured salt and pepper. Spread Brussels into an even layer on baking sheet.
- Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until Brussels are tender and deep golden brown, tossing Brussels half way through cooking time
- Meanwhile, Poach the Eggs: Fill a medium sized pot with about 2 ½ - 3’’ of water (just enough water to submerge eggs). Bring the water to BARELY a SIMMER (water temperature should be between 180-190 degrees F) and add vinegar.
- Carefully crack each egg into 4 separate ramekins. One at a time, carefully transfer egg to a fine mesh strainer. Gently swirl egg around in the strainer to loosen and remove excess egg white. Gently tip the strainer and egg into the hot water. Use a wooden spoon to slightly swirl the egg, helping form and set it, for 10 seconds. Repeat with remaining eggs. Cook eggs, occasionally swirling and flipping gently, until the whites are completely set, but the yolks remain soft, about 3 ½- 4 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the eggs from the water. Transfer eggs to a paper towel lined plate to completely drain.*
- To Serve: Transfer roasted Brussels sprouts and shallots to a platter or individual serving plates. Top with bacon and goat cheese. Drizzle or toss with dressing. Gently place poached eggs on top and garnish with a sprinkling of scallions.
- Serve with toasted artisanal bread.
Notes
*Poached eggs method from Serious Eats
*Poached eggs can be made up to two days in advance. Simply transfer poached eggs to a bowl of cold water and place in the refrigerator. When ready to use, carefully transfer them to a bowl of hot water and let them sit for 2 minutes to reheat.
Cheyanne- Just discovered your site. Love the recipes. Your writing is very witting, and photography is excellent.
We are simpatico ! I am a culinary graduate, worked in the industry, am married with 3 furry four legged children ( 2 boys and a girl ). Husband and I ( well and the dogs too) binge watch entire series’s complete with popcorn. Ultimate butter for me, husband does same but adds shredded cheddar cheese. Banshee was a favorite. Currently working on Hell on Wheels.
Husband is out of town returning on Valentines Day. I plan to use your recipe index to plan a meal for him upon his return.
Trix
Thank you so much for stopping by and the kind comment, Trixie! Most definitely sounds like we have a TON in common! I haven’t seen Hell on Wheels, but you can bet I’m going to check it out, so thanks for mentioning it! I hope whatever you choose to make for your husband on Valentine’s day turns out delicious… and if it is from this site, I hope you guys love it as much as we did!! Cheers – to a beautiful rest of the week! 😉
Oh my lord. I do want to be your bestie for life after seeing this salad. Big fan of this salad and going on my ever growing list of your recipes to try. Especially love the egg component. Yolk is like “nature’s gravy” and always adds such a rich, delicious silkiness to a dish. Gorgeous looking salad, thanks for sharing it. Cheers!
Trevor, or should I call you #bestie? Thanks for the kind words, I could not agree with you more about poached eggs and yolks. I’m unfortunately allergic, so I when I do eat them it must be worth the pain I will endure. This salad? Totally worth the pain! 🙂 So glad you are adding this to your “list”, it definately deserves a place on there. Thanks for stopping by, and cheers to a wonderful weekend!