Brussels Sprout Salad

Mid-April. The summer enrollment push at the daycare is beginning, new families coming for tours, three new toddlers starting next month. Ms. Patricia asked me this week if I would take the lead during the transition week while she handles paperwork and administrative logistics. I said yes without hesitating, which is the kind of yes I am getting better at, the yes that comes from knowing what you can do rather than hoping you can.

The Sunday dinners have settled into something that feels entirely sacred and entirely ordinary at once, which is exactly the right combination for something sacred. I arrive at noon. We cook. We eat at three or so. I do the dishes. We sit for a while. I leave before dark. James and Gloria have adjusted to my rhythms in the kitchen over these months in a way that feels like I have been cooking there for decades. She hands me things without asking. I know where the lard is. I know how she likes the cornbread pan seasoned. I know when to be quiet and when she wants to talk while she cooks.

This week was cornbread again, which I could make in my sleep now, and fried catfish, which is a spring-into-summer thing, and coleslaw. The coleslaw is mine now. I make it the way Gloria taught me: cabbage and carrot, mayonnaise and a little apple cider vinegar and sugar, salt and pepper, made the day before so the cabbage softens slightly. Every time I make it she eats it without comment, which means it is right.

I have been thinking about a cat. My apartment is quiet in a way that is mostly good but sometimes tips into something else. A living thing that is mine to take care of. I am thinking about it.

The coleslaw Gloria taught me is made the day before, which is most of what makes it right — the cabbage needs time to soften into something quieter than it started as. This Brussels sprout salad follows the same logic: shaved thin, dressed simply, and left alone overnight to become what it’s supposed to be. I’ve started making it when I want that same steadiness, the same sense that some things come together slowly and are better for it.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 20 min + overnight chill | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly shaved or sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Shave the sprouts. Using a sharp knife or the slicing blade of a food processor, thinly shave the Brussels sprouts crosswise. Discard any tough outer leaves and the tough stem ends. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Add the vegetables. Add the shredded carrot and dried cranberries to the bowl with the shaved Brussels sprouts. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper until smooth and combined.
Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the Brussels sprout mixture and toss thoroughly until every bit of vegetable is coated. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed.
Chill overnight. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. The sprouts will soften slightly and absorb the dressing — this resting time is what makes the salad.
Finish and serve. Just before serving, scatter the toasted pecans over the top. Give the salad one more gentle toss and serve cold alongside fried fish, grilled meats, or any Southern main.

Nutrition (per serving)

Brussels Sprout Salad — The Coleslaw That’s Mine Now