Once again, good things seem to come in small packages. A cross between Russian Red Kale and Brussels Sprouts, Kale Sprouts look like a tiny head of kale . . . until you slice them in half, at which point they resemble a brussels sprout. Delicious and simply gorgeous, either way.
Grown in California, Kale Sprouts are a hot, new produce item. Having never seen them before, I was so happy when Melissa’s sent me a handful to taste and recipe test with.
While their sweet, peppery flavor is tasty raw, my favorite way to eat them is roasted in a very hot oven for a few minutes, sprinkled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Yum!
I made a main course salad with the Kale Sprouts and added a couple of my other current favorites, that I can’t seem to go a day without: pickled beets and winter citrus! You might say this is a Melissa’s Produce party on a plate. 
Recipe
6-ounces Kale Sprouts
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup pickled beets (here's the recipe)
4 Mandarin oranges, peeled and sliced horizontally into 1/4-inch rounds, and then in half
3 tablespoons Mandarin orange juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup Sweet, Spiced Caramelized Pecans (here's the recipe)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Trim any tough bottoms off the stems of the kale sprouts. Then slice any larger ones in half, lengthwise.
- Place all of the kale sprouts on a baking sheet and toss them with the olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.
- Roast them in the preheated 425 degree F oven until they are sizzling, about 4 minutes. Set them aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing or serving bowl, gently combine the roasted kale sprouts with the pickled beets and oranges. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice with the extra virgin olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Just before you're ready to serve, toss the salad with the dressing, blue cheese, and pecans.
Notes
Please note that the prep time does not include pickling the beets (here's how), or making the pecans (here's how). You can find similar pecans in most markets, if you're pressed for time.
You can order Kale Sprouts here.
If you can't get mandarins, another sweet, juicy orange is great.
Not sure exactly what "season to taste" means? Here's the answer.
*This is not a sponsored post. As always, all opinions are my own —
Melissa’s Produce truly has wonderful products that I love to promote.*
