Ultimate Fall Salad: Arugula, Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Balsamic Dressing

This sweet and savory fall salad, with subtle notes of smoky bacon sprinkled throughout, is the perfect addition to your fall salad repertoire. The peppery arugula and crunchy shaved Brussels sprouts, combined with the juicy apple and pomegranate, complemented by the smoky and salty bacon and Parmesan, make for the ultimate fall salad.

Everyone adores a delightful sweet and savory salad, and if you haven’t found one you love yet, you just haven’t had the right one. I promise you will love this fall salad! Incorporating a variety of flavors and textures into your salad will effortlessly transform your lettuce from bunny leaves, to a decadent sophisticated meal. This fall salad does just that! It is full of vibrant flavors and textures that will leave you and your guests wanting seconds. This salad is great for Thanksgiving and Christmas utilizing all the fall and winter flavors, as well as the weeknight meal. You could even add some grilled chicken or shrimp to add an element of protein and take it from a simple side dish to an elegant meal.

Tips For Making Fall Salad:

1. Texture: Adding various types of ingredients provides an abundance of texture to the salad. The brussels sprouts, apples, pomegranate, and bacon contribute a beautiful crunch that will elevate any salad.
2. Crisp Bacon: When cooking the bacon, make sure that it is crispy. This will add an additional charred flavor to the salad, which complements the salty Parmesan well. It will also contribute additional texture, as noted above.
3. Complimentary Flavors: When constructing a salad, it is important to gather flavors that complement one another. The sweetness of the apples and pomegranate, combined with the smoky and salty notes of the bacon and Parmesan, along with the peppery arugula, makes for the perfect fall salad.
4. Serve Fresh: Whenever you serve a salad, ensure that it is served fresh. This not only keeps the flavors vibrant but also prevents the salad from wilting. One easy way to achieve this is to assemble the salad right before you or your guests are ready to eat, and refrain from dressing the salad until that moment.
5. Cool Temperature: If you are prepping your salad a couple of hours before serving, make sure that you keep it refrigerated. Also, keeping the fruit off to the side until serving is helpful in maintaining the freshness and crispiness of the greens.

Tips For Preserving:

1. Refrigerate: Keeping the salad chilled prior to serving and/or post-serving is the best way to keep the greens crisp and green.
2. Dressing On Side: One of the best ways to preserve your salad is by not dressing the entire thing. When you start adding acids like vinegar or buttermilk to the greens, the lettuce and veggies will begin to wilt and break down. An easy way to prevent this from happening is by keeping the dressing on the side and only dressing the portion that you are going to eat.
3. Air-Tight Containers: Preserving your salad in air-tight containers is the best way to keep your greens crisp and vibrant.

Materials:

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Chefs Knife
• Salad Bowl
• Salad Utensils
• Cutting Board

Ingredients:

Salad Recipe:

• 1 lbs. Brussel Sprouts
• 6 oz. Arugula
• Pomegranate
• 1 large Apple (I used honey crisp)
• 6 strips Bacon
• Handful of shaved Parmesan cheese

Balsamic Dressing Recipe:

• 2 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
• 4 tsp.Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Honey
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Begin by heating up the cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
2. Once, pan is hot, add in the bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy, flipping occasionally to avoid burning.
3. Remove bacon from skillet and place on a paper towel to soak up the excess fat.
4. Cut the pomegranate and remove the seeds.
5. Slice apples. You can either dice them or leave them in slices. I like to keep mine of the thinner side.
6. Peel off the outside layer of the brussles sprouts and cut off the bottom stem.
7. Using a knife, shave the brussels sprouts into thin slices.
8. Mix the arugula, brussels sprouts, apple, pomegranate seeds, Parmesan cheese, and bacon together.
9. For the dressing, add to a jar the dijon mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Screw the lid onto the jar and shake the dressing until combined.
10. Top salad with the dressing.
11. Serve and enjoy.