Warm Brussel Sprouts Salad with Dates & Marcona Almonds

One thing that changes for us at Thanksgiving is the veggies. We always do a classic green bean casserole, but the other veggies seem to change every year. We've done a few rounds of roasted carrots and brussel sprouts, warm leafy green pomegranate salads, etc so when I was trying to pick a green to share I had a hard time choosing one. Until my mom reminded me of this delvious warm brussel salad she made a while back, and while I'll admit it's really labor intensive but it's beautiful and really delicious. I think there are some ways to make it a little easier, like buying already shaved bruseels instead of this below method of removing each leaf individually, but I can't vouch for it having quite the same effect. So without further build up, here you go!

What I Used:

1 bunch of brussel sprouts (probably 1-1.5lbs)
8-9 dates pitted and diced
1/2 lemon
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Marcona almonds (her salad called for macadamia nuts but Marcona almonds were easier for me to find!)
her recipe also called for 2 tbsp sunflower seeds but I totally forgot them at the store

How To:

Cut the ends off the sprouts and peel all of the leaves off
Fill a pot with an inch or two of water and bring to a boil with a big pinch of salt. Then add the Brussels leaves for about 2 minutes until they turn bright green and tender. Quickly pour cold water into the pan, removing from the heat to stop the cooking. Lay the leaves out to dry on paper towels
For the dressing melt the butter in a pan over medium-high heat until its bubbling and brown, then pour it into a bowl and add the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, dates and a big pinch of salt. Whisk well and dress the sprouts. Sprinkle with nuts, seeds, and some freshly ground pepper and serve!