Great dishes have great genetics. One recipe in – spires another, and then along comes a cook who takes the dish in an entirely new and delicious direction. That’s the story behind Jeffrey Compton’s warm prosciutto dressing, which he uses to elevate crispy Brussels sprouts at Armour House in Birmingham, Alabama, a brasserie in a historic downtown building where he has been the executive chef since it opened last fall.
The idea started when he was contemplating a way to update baby spinach salad with warm bacon dressing, which anyone who ate at a restaurant in the 1980s remembers. Take the concept back a generation further and you’ll find kil’t lettuce, the classic and thrifty Appalachian preparation that wilts greens in a hot dressing of bacon fat and vinegar.
With those two dishes for inspiration, Compton decided to sub prosciutto for bacon and punch up the dressing with red pepper flakes and fresh thyme. He liked it so much, he started looking for other ways to use it. “It’s really just a very versatile vinaigrette that can make so many things taste great,” he says. Pour it over hot boiled new potatoes for a warm potato salad, or use it to dress up butternut squash. Any roasted vegetable would benefit, he says.
Compton is a fan of mise en place—that is, making sure all the ingredients are ready before cooking begins. The dressing comes together easily, but he advises measuring out the components ahead of time to speed up the process. Home cooks might be surprised to see that the dressing does not emulsify in the way a traditional vinaigrette does. Not to worry. Just make sure to give it a good stir right before pouring it over the Brussels sprouts.
It’s important for the sprouts to be well crisped. At the restaurant, Compton cooks them in the deep fryer because customers tend to like them that way, but he thinks roasting them in the oven with a little olive oil at a high temperature results in a less oily dish. He adds diced apple to the party to lighten things up with a sweet-tart contrast. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better fit for a fall table.
He often serves the sprouts atop a bone-in pork chop that has been pounded thin, prepared schnitzel-style, and enhanced with a squash puree. But they’re stellar playing a supporting role alongside almost any type of grilled or roasted meat, or even on their own for a light lunch. “It’s one of those dishes,” Compton says, “that just gets along with so many other things.”
Meet the Chef: Jeffrey Compton
Hometown: Destin, Florida
Item he would grab if the kitchen were on fire: A Yeti water cup with a Whataburger logo his brother gave him. “I love my brother, and I don’t get to see him much.”
His food epiphany: A ham and cheese sandwich with a glass of orange juice he had while hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain’s Basque Country. “I realized how life can be so simple, and food can be so simple and so delicious.”
Tips for home cooks: To make any food better, butter is key. And don’t be afraid of salt. Train yourself to test the salt boundaries. “See if you can salt it to a place where it’s perfect and one more grain would be too much.”
