Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Hazelnut Pesto with Fresh Tomatoes

February 7, 2010 | 6 Comments

I was eager to make this recipe again for two reason: 1) I haven’t made it in awhile, and 2) I was eager to serve this dish to two of my girlfriends. They planned to stop by and visit before continuing on to meet up with their significant others at a Superbowl party. Neither one of my dear friends really likes brussels sprouts, but they are open to try “raw” vegan food, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to introduce them to one of my raw vegan recipes.

Daring to serve my friends who aren’t fond of brussels sprouts a dish made of it and raw to boot, I ran out to buy 10 of the little beauties, and the other ingredients needed to make my recipe. As soon as I returned home I got busy preparing everything.

I love the rich hazelnuts pesto mixed with thinly sliced brussels sprouts, and it is quite filling. Shredding the raw brussel sprouts makes them palatable. I like using a mandoline to shred them by hand to get those even threads. You can also cut it very thin with a knife or use a food process. Another thing I like is fresh tomatoes with this dish. So far, every time I’ve eaten this dish I had fresh chopped tomatoes with it.

We eat with our eyes first and I had in mind how I wanted to present this dish to my friends, so I also thinly sliced Campari tomatoes to use as a layer around the brussels sprouts. I was hoping this would make a pretty camouflage so they wouldn’t figure out right away that they were about to eat a dish with raw brussels sprouts.

I gathered my ring molds, assembled everything, and then quickly took a picture of one plated before my friends arrived.

When I told them I made a raw vegan dish I wanted them to try, they both agreed. I brought one out for them to share. They commented on how pretty it looked, inspected it of course, and asked what it was, but I asked them to taste it first [assuring them there wasn’t anything weird in the mix] and then I would tell them all the ingredients. They tossed around a couple jokes, the folks dug in, and…… they liked it! After their forks clearly exposed what was under the sliced tomatoes, there was no hiding the shredded brussels sprout. But they thought it was cabbage or some sort of greens. Well, brussels sprouts are basically miniature cabbages. They took another fork full. I confessed they were eating shredded brussel sprouts and they were pleasantly surprised. Maybe their ambivalence for it has changed. That’s one for the brussels sprouts.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Hazelnut Pesto with Fresh Tomatoes

When I shop for brussels sprouts, I always buy them loose and hand pick each, I never buy them pre-packaged. I choose the ones that are bright green, firm and compact with unblemished leaves. The tomatoes I used here are Campari tomatoes on the vine. They are smaller than the average size tomato and larger than cherry tomatoes.

10 brussels sprouts, thinly shredded
8 Campari tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 fresh squeezed lemon, half the juice for shredded sprouts; half for pesto
1 cup hazelnuts
1 1/2 cup fresh parsley or basil, or a mix of both, firmly packed
1 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Prepare the brussels sprouts: remove any yellow or damaged outer leaves and rinse. Use the stem end to hold each brussels sprout by hand and shred using a mandoline, or thinly slice each sprout with a knife, or use a food processor to shred. Place shredded sprouts in a bowl and toss with half of the fresh squeezed lemon juice and season with sea salt to taste; set aside.

Make the hazelnut pesto: Place all ingredients in food processor or blender; blend until the pesto mixture is thick and creamy.

Prepare Campari tomatoes: thinly slice

Garnish: chopped tomatoes and chiffonade fresh basil.

Assemble and Plate: Add the hazelnut pest to the bowl of shredded brussels sprouts; coat and mix well.

Take a ring mold and line in inside wall all the way around with slices of tomatoes, then place the ring mold on server plate. Carefully fill in the center of the ring mold with the shredded brussels sprouts and hazelnut pesto mixture just to the top of the mold. Cover the top with slices of tomatoes. Repeat steps for each ring mold. When ready to serve carefully lift the ring mold. Garnish the plate with chopped tomatoes, chiffonade basil, and a light sprinkle of sea salt and pepper.

Serves 4

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