Crunchy Brussels sprouts & halloumi winter salad with a harissa crumb
a recipe for celebrating new beginnings
Happy New Year! I have begrudgingly changed from festive red plaid pyjamas and fluffy slippers to my usual kitchen uniform of Birkenstocks, apron and overalls. This year I have found the post-Christmas blues particularly intense, probably the result of too many mince pies and the thought of packing up to return to the US – all those suitcases!! There is, however, still a schedule to maintain so I'm back in the kitchen once again working on exciting new recipes for my brand-new series: Recipes for… This series will feature recipes for the seasons, recipes for feelings (cue the comfort soup for homesickness!) and even recipes with specific individuals in mind.
Christmas blues aside, 2024 has definitely begun with a sense of unexpected momentum for a good table. A simple Brussels sprouts Caesar salad recipe video amassed a staggering 2.3 million views within just a few days - and on Instagram of all places. Simultaneously, a TikTok video on caviar pairings has received over 750k views.
Consequently, I’ve received tons of requests for additional Brussels sprouts recipes as well as questions about caviar. Today’s newsletter therefore features a Brussels sprouts and crispy halloumi winter salad. This recipe is adaptable which allows for the inclusion of various optional additions to suit your preference.
Early next week you can expect a caviar guide featuring both traditional and unique pairing suggestions.
Before we get to the recipes, I would like to say how happy I am to welcome the recent influx of newcomers.
It's been exciting and truly heartwarming to see snapshots of you re-creating some of the recipes. I must say, putting oneself out there on social media can be nerve wracking, but reading your accounts of preparing my dishes to share with your nearest and dearest on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, filled me with immense gratitude and humility.
A recipe to celebrate new beginnings
I'm not a fan of January. I am certainly not a fan of conjuring up life changing resolutions in the dead of winter. Confronted with the annual societal push for a miraculous physical transformation starting on January 1st, I often feel more inclined to cozy up and watch 90s rom-coms in comfy, loose-fitting attire. Yet, amidst it all, life keeps moving, and that, in itself, deserves celebrating.
Enter this delightful crunchy Brussels sprouts salad featuring halloumi and a seriously addictive sweet and spicy harissa crumb—it's just the ticket for a relaxing weekend lunch to bring you out of the post-Christmas blues.
I’ve made the recipe totally customizable, in the sense that you can use baked, raw or pan-fried Brussels sprouts and include any combination of the other elements of the recipe.
Crispy Brussel sprouts & halloumi salad
500g sprouts, shredded/finely cut
250g halloumi
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (more if needed)
Maple Vinaigrette
2 tbsp maple syrup
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Lemon, a squeeze
½ tsp harissa
Salt, to taste
Lemon Creme fraiche
300g creme fraiche (or sour cream)
1 lemon, zest of
Salt & white pepper
Harissa Crouton Crumb
2 large stale slices of bread, approx.160g
A generous glug or two, extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp harissa (or any of the following: Tabasco, chili bean paste, or sriracha)
1-2 tsp brown sugar
Method
Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, combine all vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.
Creme fraiche
In a separate small bowl (or deli container), mix all the ingredients, and then set aside in the refrigerator
Croutons
Roughly chop bread into small chunks and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan (please note you will use the same pan to cook the halloumi and sprouts) over medium heat.
Add the bread, toss to coat, then fry until golden brown before adding the harissa and brown sugar. Stir for a further 30 seconds before transferring the bread to a paper towel lined plate and season with a little salt.
Once cool, either chop (with a sharp knife), crush with a rolling pin), or pulse the bread in a food processor until you have very fine breadcrumbs.
Note
Remove any burnt pieces of bread from the pan as you will be using this pan to fry the halloumi and Brussel sprouts.
Brussel sprouts and halloumi
Pat dry the halloumi with a paper towel.
In the same pan you used to pan fry the croutons, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the halloumi and cook for approx. two minutes on either side or until the halloumi is golden-brown.
Transfer the halloumi to a paper towel lined plate, and when cooled, chop into small cubes.
Remove any leftover pieces from the pan.
Now for the sprouts
Note
You will need to cook the sprouts in two batches, this is because overcrowding the pan can create steam which will keep the surface of the sprouts wet. Without a certain amount of surface dehydration you will not achieve a crispy texture.
Heat a tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half the sprouts. Allow to brown, then toss until crispy/slightly charred, which will take approx. 5-6 minutes. The sprouts might appear black in places, don’t panic, this is the char you want. Add a pinch of salt to each batch of sprouts and set aside.
Serve
In a large bowl mix the Brussels sprouts with the halloumi then drizzle with the maple vinaigrette. Toss to combine.
Spread the creme fraiche mixture on a large plate, add the sprouts and halloumi directly on top, and finally, sprinkle on the harissa crumb.
Serve immediately with a few lemon slices.