Half Crunchy, Half Roasted. All Glossy.
Jalapeño-Brussels Sprouts with Shrimp and Feta Dressing
There is no evidence that Hippocrates, although being credited for it, ever stated ‘let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.’
But whoever said it was a true legend.
I was at a point where I was taking ibuprofen like Tic Tacs. I had run out of options for chill/no-big-deal drugs to deal with debilitating migraines. I recognize that it’s also a major factor that I grew up in México where I was raised to drink herbal tea with onions, stick a charred garlic clove wrapped in a cotton ball inside my ear canal, and go to a sobador before even considering popping any pills.
My mom used to tell me I’d have to pay her back for the cost of my medicines if I dared to get sick.
Total savage.
Basically, the doctor told me that I was consuming too many foods that were spiking my hormone levels as the main cause of my too many migraines. I went home that day last September and had my first salad of raw Brussels sprouts with lemon, lots of EVOO, and Parm as my initiation meal. I didn’t know it then, but shifting the way I was mindlessly eating towards a low-carb, high-protein, high-fiber way gave me a life back without debilitating migraines.
Using Brussels sprouts two ways: half crunchy and half roasted, is as fun as going on an impromptu road trip (for me, at least). Rethinking the classic warm flavors such as brown butter and bacon often found in this brassica helped me find a new love for the little rounds. I thinly slice them and cook half of it until deep golden brown. Right before removing them from the heat, I hit them with sliced jalapeños, garlic, and red wine vinegar.
The crunch of the raw Brussels is like no other, and they can graciously stand up to any motherfucking dressing in a way tender lettuce cannot. I mash half of the feta in this recipe with a spoon and mix olive oil, chopped mint, lemon zest, and lemon juice to create the most glossy dressing that your eyes have ever seen. The salad is layered with the creamy feta raw Brussels, the pan-roasted Jalapeño Brussels, and topped with seared shrimp, crumbled Feta, and more mint.
It might as well be a ceviche salad.
On this week’s recipe mixtape, your next obsession: Daniel, me estás matando.