{EAT} {TRY} A Brisket, A Basket

My friends Josh and Lauren Silversteinberg invited us over Friday night for shabbat dinner (read: excuse to make brisket and eat challah).  Every time I say the word brisket, in my head I start singing A Brisket, A Basket to the tune of Ella Fitgerald's A Tisket, A Tasket.  Now I am not one to say no to brisket nor the chance to butcher the first 10 words of the Sheva Brachot blessing that I memorized in 5th grade, so I happily accepted the invitation with a promise to bring good wine. We decided to share a bottle from our Napa 2012 Fall trip: an Alpha Omega 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Lauren is a designer, so whenever she throws dinner parties, her table is impeccably dressed.  I just love these place mats- such a pop of color in the dead of winter!

The brisket was tender, the caramelized onions shined and the celery added great crunch. The brussels sprout salad was the clear winner for me though. Since brussels are a trending food, I'm always looking for a new take.  This Food & Wine slaw combines toasted hazelnuts, pomegranut seeds and raw brussels to make a light, textured, savory salad.  Lauren actually roasted half of the brussels to take away some of the bitter.

[recipe] Brussels Sprout Slaw with Hazelnuts & Pomegranate

1 cup hazelnuts
2 Tbsp. hazelnut oil
2 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound brussels sprouts, finely shredded
Seeds from one small pomegranate
1 cup shaved Parmigiano cheese

Preheat the over to 350.  In a pie plate, toast hazelnuts until the skins blister, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a kitchen towel to let cool, then rub to remove the skins. Coarsely chop the nuts. 

In a bowl, whisk the hazelnut oil with the EVOO, vinegar, mustard, lemon zest and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded brussels sprouts, pomegranate seeds and shaved cheese and toss well.  Serve immediately. ~

Chunky mashed potatoes were served along with challah.  You will soon learn I'm a lonely planet in terms of potatoes - meaning I can do without them (I know).  The challah was from Great Harvest Bread Co. in Rockville. Their menu changes monthly, but challah is a house staple, made fresh daily. It was airy yet dense, with a touch of sweet crust.  One can only assume they made challah french toast with the leftovers.

A-brisket, a-basket
She took my tender brisket
And if she doesn't bring it back
I think that I shall die.