Many of the best salads bring together a wide variety of ingredients, each with its own distinct textures and flavors. But sometimes it's fun to play with a single ingredient, using more than one technique to bring out different qualities in it. Such is the case in this shredded Brussels sprout salad, in which half the sprouts are shredded and left raw and the other half tossed with salt until soft and wilted. Together, they're much greater than the sum of their parts. WHY IT WORKS Salt-wilting half the Brussels sprouts softens them for a more tender texture; leaving the other half raw helps the salad retain some of their original sturdy crispness. Toasting skin-on hazelnuts just until the skins take on a light wood-smoke aroma adds depth and complexity to the salad. Tangerine juice and zest lightly infuse the salad, adding plenty of wintry personality. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Mandoline slicer INGREDIENTS 1 3/4 pounds (800g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly shredded on a mandoline, divided 2 teaspoons (8g) kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 tangerine (about 5 ounces; 150g) 1/2 medium shallot (about 3 ounces; 90g), minced 1 teaspoon (5ml) Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons (30ml) white wine vinegar 6 tablespoons (90ml) extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup (170g) skin-on hazelnuts 4 ounces (115g) fresh goat cheese, crumbled DIRECTIONS 1. In a medium mixing bowl, toss half the shredded Brussels sprouts with the 2 teaspoons salt. Knead and squeeze salted sprouts, softening them and releasing their liquid, about 2 minutes. Juice tangerine, reserving half of peel for zesting later, and add juice to salted sprouts. Toss to coat, cover, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours. 2. In a small bowl, combine shallot, Dijon, vinegar, and the finely grated zest of reserved tangerine peel. Whisk in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then set aside. 3. In a small skillet, toast hazelnuts over medium-high heat, stirring and shaking pan constantly, until skins are just beginning to take on a light roasted, campfire smell (being careful not to burn them or darken them to the point of developing an unpleasant flavor), about 4 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer nuts to a zipper-lock bag, then gently crush under the weight of a heavy pan or skillet to form large broken chunks. 4. Remove salted sprouts from refrigerator. Knead and squeeze once more, then drain and squeeze well to remove any excess moisture. Transfer to a serving bowl. Toss with remaining shredded raw Brussels sprouts and toasted hazelnuts. Whisk dressing, then drizzle all over salad. (Add just enough dressing to lightly coat everything in the salad bowl; you may have a small amount left over.) Season with salt and pepper, then add crumbled goat cheese, toss gently to combine, and serve right away.
Juicy apples meet bubbly prosecco, rich sherry, and sweet orange liqueur in this cocktail. WHY IT WORKS Juicy apples add a mild, fresh sweetness to sherry and prosecco. Dry, nutty oloroso sherry offsets the sweetness of the apples and Mandarine Napoléon liqueur. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Muddler, mixing glass NOTES: Super-thin apple slices make gorgeous garnishes. However, to keep the slices looking crisp and white, remember to soak them in a bowl of water with a small spritz of lemon juice after slicing. Use your favorite kind of apple here; both sweeter, softer varieties and more tart, firm types work well. If you can't find Mandarine Napoléon liqueur, you can substitute with Grand Marnier or a good dry orange curacao, such as Pierre Ferrand. INGREDIENTS 1/4 apple, cored and diced 1 1/2 ounces apple brandy, such as Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy 3/4 ounce Mandarine Napoléon liqueur 1/2 ounce oloroso sherry, such as Williams & Humbert 4 ounces prosecco sparkling wine Orange twist, for garnish Thinly sliced apple, for garnish DIRECTIONS 1. Add diced apple to the bottom of a mixing glass and muddle until apples are broken down and have released their juice. Fill the mixing glass 2/3 full with ice and then pour in apple brandy, Mandarine Napoléon liqueur, and oloroso sherry. Stir to chill until mixing glass is very cold, about 20 seconds, then strain into a highball glass filled with ice and top with prosecco. 2. Twist orange peel over top of drink to release oils, then discard peels. Garnish with a thinly cut round of apple.
This apple brandy–based variation on the classic Negroni cocktail is spicy, rich, and bittersweet. It's as simple as could be to make, but the magic is in the proportions: It's not the standard equal-parts setup. Instead, you'll use two parts warming 100-proof apple brandy, along with one part Campari and one part sweet vermouth (I like Carpano Antica here), so that the brandy can cut the Campari's considerable sweetness. The recipe, created by Andrew Friedman of Liberty Bar in Seattle, originally appeared in Gary Regan's The Negroni: Drinking to La Dolce Vita, With Recipes & Lore. If you like Boulevardiers, this cocktail is a cold-weather essential. To make a big batch of it, multiply each ingredient by the number of drinks you'd like to make, and add about 25% of the total volume in water. (Use filtered if you don't love the flavor of your tap water.) For example, to make eight portions of the Mela d'Alba, add 16 ounces Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, 8 ounces sweet vermouth, 8 ounces Campari, and 8 ounces water to a resealable jar or bottle. (You'll need a container that holds at least 40 ounces.) Refrigerate until ready to serve, then pour into individual ice-filled rocks glasses. NOTE Don't use Applejack here; you want the strong stuff, marked "bonded." INGREDIENTSES: 2 ounces (60ml) Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy (see note above) 1 ounce (30ml) sweet vermouth 1 ounce (30ml) Campari Lemon twist, for garnish DIRECTIONS 1. Add apple brandy, sweet vermouth, and Campari to an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. Stir until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Express lemon oils over drink and add lemon twist. Serve immediately.
