Spring is for greens! And the current mood for green vegetable is brussel sprouts. Yep, the stuff I hated as a kid after being served a plate of boiled sulphur-smelling mushy sprouts in the school canteen ( not sure if that’s on the menu any more. Hope not!)
It would take 25 years and a surprisingly tasty bowl of curried brussel sprouts tasted in a Townsville pub to make me reconsider. Then 5 years ago, while cruising the US east coast, I fell in love with raw brussel sprouts: the vegetable was in season and selling everywhere for a song, so locals cooked it in coleslaw, pickles or in salads peeling the leaves like petals!
A couple of weeks ago, Terry and I went on a short trip down the Sapphire Coast of NSW and stopped in Bega’s Produce markets. One of the stalls was selling the most beautiful looking organic vegetables, so I picked up bagfuls of potatoes, green leaf veggies and of course brussel sprouts!

Back home, I decided to make a warm salad ( while we’re technically in spring, the weather is still too cold for cold refreshing dishes ), pairing the sprouts with some zucchinis that had been lingering in the fridge for a while. Terry suggested I steamed the lot, but I went off on a tangent and opted to roast instead. I think I was looking for a reason to turn the oven on and warm the house a little! The raw component of the salad was made of mesclun, chopped dill and french vinaigrette which married wonderfully with the crispy slightly charred vegetables. So, voila! The perfect accompaniment to grilled meat or add some shaved parmesan and nuts for a light lunch…

Roasted Greens Salad

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:

250g brussel sprouts, washed, and cut in halves
2 zucchinis, washed, trimmed and sliced in 1cm coins
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
A handful of mesclun ( rocket or mizuna leaves ok too!)
A handful of chopped dill ( leaves and stems )

French Vinaigrette:
1 part white wine vinegar, 3 parts olive oil, 1 tsp dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 200C
2. In a large bowl, combine brussel sprouts, zucchinis, sliced onion and olive oil. Toss well to ensure all is covered in oil. Transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are blackened around the edges.
3. When ready, let cool for a few minutes. Place mesclun on a serving platter. Transfer the lukewarm vegetables on the bed of mesclun, drizzle the french vinaigrette and sprinkle the chopped dill on top.
4. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature. Enjoy!