Fresh Fare

Chartreuse’s Doug Hewitt mixes up a Brussels sprouts salad
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Photographs by Joe Vaughn

Doug Hewitt is the executive chef at Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails in the Park Shelton, the next-door neighbor of the Detroit Institute of Arts. He says he especially likes this recipe “because the ingredients are always available. I’ve been making a version of this salad for years. It’s a perfect balance of smoke, acidity, and freshness.” Prior to coming to the city, Hewitt was the executive chef at Terry B’s in Dexter. — Molly Abraham

Brussels Sprouts Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients

8 ounces fresh raw Brussels sprouts
1 or 2 tablespoons 80/20 oil (blend of canola and extra-virgin olive oils),
plus ¼ cup Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
4 fresh radishes
Half small red onion
1 Granny Smith apple, sliced thin
4 ounces bacon, diced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup champagne vinegar
2 ounces pistachios
4 ounces of fresh greens
(pea tendril or arugula preferred)

Directions

Salad 

Halve or quarter the Brussels sprouts depending on size, and toss in oil, salt, and pepper. Char the sprouts on a grill, then cool and reserve. Shave the radish, onion, and apple as desired and reserve.

Vinaigrette

Render the diced bacon in a sauté pan until cooked through. Add the brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar to the pan with the bacon and fat and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into a small mixing bowl. Slowly add a quarter cup of oil while whisking to form an emulsification. Once emulsified, add salt and pepper to taste, and keep warm.

Assembly

Mix the Brussels sprouts, radish, apple, onion, and pistachio with the vinaigrette. Once evenly distributed, fold in greens softly to prevent wilting. Season to taste. Serve immediately.