Grill/Barbecue

Brussels Fennel Kale Slaw + Bacon

August 22, 2017
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0 Ratings
Photo by stephanie⎜pinotte food blog
  • Serves 10
Author Notes

I present to you my version of coleslaw, a brussels slaw. I’m not of fan of creamy coleslaw, I usually go for a more vinegary one. I mean, you need something light and tangy to contrast the fatty and salty barbecued meats.
But anyway, I am not a traditionalist when it comes to slaw as you can tell, since there is no cabbage in this recipe. I’ve seen a couple of brussels slaw recipes on the internets and decided to give it a try. However, shaved raw brussels sprouts didn’t really sound exciting so I also picked up some fennel at the market, which I am currently obsessed with. I was never really into it until I tried it again while testing a recipe for work a few months back. See, raw thick slices of fennel tastes probably ok if your Italian grand-mother has fed it to you since you were a tiny little kid, but it was too much for my unaccustomed québécois tastebud. However, if thinly shaved, dressed with lemon juice and sprinkled with salt, it’s a totally different thing and I cannot get enough of it.
Oh, and I also added kale. Yes, it’s still okay to eat kale. It might not be trendy anymore but it’s tasty and good for you. So eat it! And because there’s kale in here, well it totally cancels out the guilt of the salty delicious thick cut bacon added on top, right? —stephanie⎜pinotte food blog

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
  • 1/2 fennel bulb
  • 1/2 kale bunch
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • 1/4 cup grape seed or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 slices of bacon
Directions
  1. Trim off a bit of the base of each sprout, then peel off any tougher browning outer leaves. Thinly shred the brussels sprouts using a mandoline, a food processor using the slicing blade or with a knife. Place in a large bowl.
  2. Trim off the fennel stalks and cut it in half. Trim the bottom and middle root of the fennel and peel off any browning outer layers. Thinly slice 1/2 of the bulb using a mandoline or with a knife. Place in the bowl.
  3. Cut away the stems of the kale leaves. Roll all the prepped leaves together and slice into thin strips. Add to the bowl.
  4. In a jar, juice the lemon, add the mustard, oil and salt and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing on top of the vegetable and toss thoroughly. Leave it in the fridge for an hour or overnight.
  5. I do this at the last minute because I want the bacon to be crispy when I serve this dish. Slice the bacon into approximately 2cm pieces. Cook the bacon in a skillet or a pan over medium heat until crispy. Drain and reserve the fat. Top the brussels slaw with the bacon and if you want, which I highly recommend, drizzle some of the reserved fat on top of the dish. Taste and adjust saltiness as needed, especially if you made it the day before.

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