Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, stemmed and chopped

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

toasted bread crumbs

For the dressing: Makes about 1 cup

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

3-5 peeled garlic cloves

3 anchovies or 2 generous teaspoons anchovy paste

1 generous tablespoon strong Dijon mustard

1 coddled egg

Juice of a lemon, about ¼ cup

2 generous teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

½ cup olive oil, plus more if needed

For the toasted bread crumbs: Makes about 2 cups

¼ unsliced loaf stale bread (I love leftover brioche), grated

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon fine-grain salt

Clean and trim the Brussels sprouts and chop by hand or in a food processor. They should be diced. Set aside.

Make the dressing by first coddling an egg. Boil water in a small pot and once it is boiling, place a raw refrigerated egg on a spoon and lower into the water for 40-60 seconds. Immediately place the egg on the spoon in cold water and let it sit until you need it.

Place the rest of the ingredients in a small blender or smoothie cup. Add the egg and puree according to your machine's instructions until the mixture is fully emulsified and creamy. Only add more oil if it is too thin. Season to taste. Set aside.

Toast the bread crumbs on the stove top in a large skillet. Melt the butter and add the salt. Swirl it around the pan so it coats the entire pan. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and stir with a silicone spatula occasionally, moving the toasted bread crumbs to the top and the untoasted bread crumbs to the bottom until all are crisp and toasted. This will take about 15 minutes.

Assemble the salad by mixing the chopped Brussels sprouts with the grated cheese. Next add about ½ cup of dressing and mix well. Season with a few grinds of black pepper and a few grinds of sea salt. Mix well and taste. You may need to add a little more dressing.

I like to make this salad up to this part and refrigerate for a few hours or even overnight to let the flavors marry. Top with the toasted bread crumbs and mix well just before eating. You want each bite to include the crunchy bread crumbs as this balances the raw Brussels sprouts and the Caesar dressing.

Serves 4 to 6

Nutrition information per serving: 264 calories; 180 calories from fat; 20 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 63 mg cholesterol; 615 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 8 g protein.

Elizabeth Karmel