By The week after Thanksgiving and the Christmases are coming. I have been planning since October and the planning this year has a different quality because Tyler's house has a dining room that I keep imagining full of people, which is a future thing that I am holding carefully and not rushing toward.
I made turkey frame soup at Gloria's on Sunday, Debbie's method, the one she showed me two years ago at the Second Thanksgiving. Gloria watched me make it and said: whose method is this? I said Debbie's. She said: you are learning from both of us now. I said: I am learning from everyone I can. She said: that is the right answer. She said: the more kitchens you carry, the richer the food.
I have been texting Crystal more easily in November. The rhythm has settled into something I am used to now, comfortable enough to be natural rather than careful. She asked this week if she could call sometime, just to talk, not about anything in particular. I said yes. She called Sunday evening and we talked for forty minutes, longer than before. She told me about a woman at the shelter who has been struggling and who Crystal has been working with for three months and who showed up clean on Tuesday for the first time. Crystal said: she came in and she looked like herself again. I said: that must have been something to see. She said: it was. She said: this is the work. I said: I know what you mean. She said: I know you do.
Gloria said the more kitchens you carry, the richer the food — and I have been thinking about that all week, about how richness isn’t just warmth and broth but also brightness and color and the kind of thing you set on a table that makes people stop and look before they reach for a fork. This salad is that thing for me right now: something jewel-toned and layered that feels like it belongs at a table full of people, the kind I am quietly imagining for Tyler’s dining room, and it came together the same Sunday as the soup, a counterpoint to all that depth.
Brussels Sprouts Arugula Salad with Pomegranate and Candied Pecans
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly shaved or sliced
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the candied pecans. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add pecans, brown sugar, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir constantly for 4—5 minutes until the sugar is caramelized and the pecans are well coated. Spread on a sheet of parchment paper and let cool completely, then break apart any clusters.
- Shave the Brussels sprouts. Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, thinly slice the trimmed Brussels sprouts crosswise. Place in a large salad bowl and massage gently with a small pinch of salt for about 30 seconds to soften slightly.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Assemble the salad. Add the arugula to the Brussels sprouts and toss to combine. Drizzle with the dressing and toss again until lightly coated. Add the pomegranate arils, dried cranberries, and shaved Parmesan, and toss gently.
- Top and serve. Transfer to a serving platter or divide among plates. Scatter the candied pecans generously over the top. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 210mg