Brussels Sprouts Coleslaw with sesame seed dressing is a great change from cabbage. Loaded with lots of fresh mint, this fun riff on coleslaw is amazing!
Brussels Sprouts Coleslaw with sesame seed or benne seed dressing is a great change from cabbage.
Loaded with lots of fresh mint straight from my yard, this fun riff on coleslaw is taken from a Southern cookbook, "Secrets of the Southern Table", by Virginia Willis.
One of the Facebook groups I'm in decided to start cooking from it. Being a lover of Southern cooking, I thought I'd join in! After all, my mother in law grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi and my husband still has lots of cousins from that area.
And of course, Manservant's first job was in North Florida where for a short time we were members of one of the oldest synagogue's in the South. It was an experience, I must say.
While living down there I got to experience first hand: palmetto bugs, alligators, bugs of all sorts and lots of humidity. I remember dipping my beloved Honey dog in malathion, per vet's orders, to keep her free of fleas. Of course, I wore no gloves as a precaution, and thank goodness dear Honey lived until she was 14. And yes, my hands are still OK!
Jacksonville was where I first experienced sweet tea, grits and shrimp boils. Sweet tea? No thanks, thank you very much. Grits...yes please! And shrimp boils on a chilly fall night? Oh, when can I do this again?
Though I was thrilled to be heading back to Colorado after just two years, that experience has stayed with me. Southern hospitality is a real thing, don't you know?
I still miss the gracefulness of the moss floating in the breeze and the dreamy quality of the swamps in all their stillness and of course, I miss the food.
So no! "I don't need no reason to be cooking Southern food. I just need to be cookin' it!"
Each month I'll be cooking a recipe of Virginia's. Hope you enjoy a food lover's tour of the global south!
Just a few notes from Virginia: Benne seeds are originally from Africa. They were home grown in the Colonial and Antebellum periods where all parts of the plant were used. Apparently modern sesame seeds bear no resemblance to the heirloom version.
I had no clue what a sesame seed plant looked like so I looked it up. Obviously I did not take this photo! (From West Coast Seeds)
A note from me: Though Virginia recommends this coleslaw in the fall because it is a great time to find Brussels sprouts, it seems you can find them most any time now. HOWEVER! Watch out for tough inner leaves. You may only be able to use the outside leaves. That is what happened to me! I chose this recipe because Spring is when my mint is so beautiful!
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Recipe
Brussels Sprouts Cole Slaw with Sesame Seed Dressing
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: O Minutes
- Total Time: 15 Minutes
- Yield: 4 -6 Servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Brussels sprout coleslaw with a sesame seed dressing and lots of fresh mint is a great change from standard coleslaw. You won't be sorry!
Ingredients
½ c sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
Zest and Juice of two lemons
2 T white wine vinegar
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 t honey, or to taste
½ extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 lb Brussels sprouts, stem end trimmed and watch out for the tough inner heart
1 medium shallot, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced
¾ c chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
Instructions
In a small skillet, toast the sesame seeds over low heat, stirring often until fragrant and lightly browned. Be careful because these little buggers burn fast!
Transfer them to a food processor and let cool slightly. Add lemon zest, juice, vinegar, garlic and honey. Pulse until combine and then with machine running, add the oil in a slow steady stream and blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Wothout cleaning out food processor, insert the slicing blade. Process Brussels sprouts until they are thinly shaved. Place the sprouts and the shallot in a large bowl.
Pour a little of the dressing over the sprouts and toss to coat. I only used about half as I like my salads lightly dressed. Decide what you like! Adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
This coleslaw can be made ahead and left at room temperature for up to several hours.
Most important! This coleslaw pops with mint. It truly needs it, in my opinion. So DON'T FORGET the mint. Please chop it and stir it in before serving!
Garnish with sesame seeds and more mint before serving.
Mimi Rippee says
What a great idea!! I don’t know who else will eat this, but I will be making it.
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Abbe says
It is actually similar in flavor to cabbage but a bit more delicate. We really enjoyed this in place of coleslaw.
Susan says
Such an interesting story about your time in Florida. We have friends who recently moved there to spend winters and they are learning about all of the creepy crawly things you mentioned! I love experimenting with different types of slaws during grilling season and this one sounds great!
Balvinder says
Love this recipe and I recently started making.Using a food processor to shave the sprouts makes this recipe a snap to make!
mjskitchen says
A coleslaw with Brussels sprouts - what a fabulous idea! It is a form of cabbage is it not. Love the flavors, the crunch, and just everything. Great coleslaw!
Amy (Savory Moments) says
What a delightful slaw this is - so light and refreshing! The mint really makes it unique.
Kristy says
What a fabulous recipe. I love the mint in this dish. Such a nice addition to the rest of the ingredients. BTW - I enjoyed my first shrimp boil several years back with my brother-in-law and his wife who live in Virginia Beach. Everyone needs to experience that at least once in their lifetime. So lovely. Anyway, thanks so much for sharing this cole slaw recipe.
angiesrecipes says
Lucky you still having brussels sprouts at this time of the year! The slaw looks so crunchy, fresh and delightful!
2sistersrecipes says
We love Southern food and recipes and love grits too! But this salad looks amazing!! Can’t wait to try this recipe, thanks!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
We have a ton of mint in our garden. A TON! And I need to do something with it other than use it in cocktails. 🙂 So this dish is just the thing! Fabulous recipe -- sounds really good. Thanks!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Very fresh and bright salad, especially with the addition of mint. Nowadays getting vegetables that last a little longer are key to success. This recipe would be lovely for a little BBQ this summer.