a word on brussels sprouts and marriage

2010 marks a new decade, a list of resolutions but also for my husband and I it is the year we will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary! I don’t want to sound corny and sappy but honestly, I have a great marriage. If you asked me “What is the secret to a good marriage?” One of the first things I would say is learn to compromise and not to hold to tightly to the whole “me first” philosophy. There are many other things that could be said on what makes a good marriage, but since this is a food blog and not the Dr. Laura show we will keep it on food.

This brings me to the topic of Brussels sprouts. You see, I really like them. I like them roasted, braised, and even raw with a little salt. But when my husband hears the words “B sprouts”, he goes off on a rant. He absolutely cannot stand them.

He even threatened that he wouldn’t read this blog because it would have photos of the little “creatures” (I think he was kidding, I will let you know). But in order to keep the peace in our home I decided that I would only make them when he is traveling, and not just overnight but gone for a few days, just to make sure the smell has completely dissipated from the house. Yes, folks: compromise.

So this week was my chance; he was going back east on business. And although I don’t like for him to be away, I knew this was my opportunity to make a recipe I’ve had tucked away for sometime. These little beauties turned out so good I believe they could convert some of those “on the fence” brussels sprout people….just not my husband.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Bacon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

Loosely adapted from Tyler Florence

1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, washed and then cut in half

3 strips of bacon (about 4 ounces) cut into small squares

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed, plus 2 cloves, roughly chopped

4 sprigs thyme, plus 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only, chopped

2 cups chicken stock

Salt & Freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only, chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil

Take a large pan and set over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until fat renders 2 to 3 minutes. Add the smashed garlic clove, thyme sprigs and Brussels sprouts and cook gently until slightly caramelized. Add stock and reduce heat to a simmer, season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until tender. Remove lid and add a splash of vinegar and reduce until syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes. If there is still too much liquid, remove the Brussels sprouts and raise the heat and let mixture reduce further. Then return the Brussels sprouts back to the pan.

In a small skillet over medium-high heat add a splash of olive oil then the panko bread crumbs, rosemary, thyme leaves and chopped garlic. Stir until mixture turns golden and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve place Brussels sprouts in a serving bowl and top with panko mixture.

Serves 4

F is for fennel

Fennel is among the most versatile of vegetables: it’s good whether eaten raw in salads, or cooked in any number of ways. I enjoy it roasted with other root vegetables as a side dish, or used as an aromatic vegetable, often instead of celery in mirepoix (diced carrots, onion and celery) and other preparations. The flavor of the pale white bulb is reminiscent of anise or licorice. The fibrous green stalks with feathery leaves can be added to stocks for an added depth of flavor. The dark green feathery fronds are a nice touch as a flavorful garnish.

To prepare fennel, trim away the darker fibrous stalk and bottom end, and remove any outer layers that are tough or blemished. Fennel should be cut close to the time it is needed, as it will oxidize and brown over time. Many recipes ask you to remove the core, but I don’t find it necessary; I like the taste of the core and find it quite tender.

One way recently I have enjoyed fennel is by braising it some water with splash of white wine. I serve it with a cabernet wine reduction and a few crumbles of blue cheese. It is a nice light lunch or along side pork roast for dinner.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Braised Fennel
Loosely adapted from Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food

2 or3 fennel bulbs
¼ cup white wine (optional)
4 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
Olive oil
Salt
Fennel tops

Trim away the root end, cut of the leafy tops and fibrous stalk, peel away any bruised outer layers. Cut each bulb in half and then into three or four wedges. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil and brown the fennel wedges lightly, and then add 2 cups of water with the wine, thyme, bay leaf and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Continue cooking, turning every once in a while until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

soups on

Here is a tasty option for some of those Thanksgiving leftovers once the stuffing and gravy have been finished off. By adding some stock, and diced turkey, along with a little bacon (never a bad idea) and a few winter vegetables you can create another meal that will warm you up on a chilly evening.  And thankfully you don't have to even turn on the oven. 

Enjoy!
Shannon


Roast Turkey and Winter Vegetable “Chowder”
Adapted from The Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

3 slices bacon
1 large yellow onion, cut into ½ inch dice
2 ribs celery, cut into ½ inch dice
2 large Yukon potatoes cut into ½ inch dice
1 butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into ½ dice
7 cups turkey stock or canned low-sodium chicken stock
1 medium zucchini, cut into ½ inch dice
2 cups chopped, de-ribbed swiss chard leaves
2 cups ½ inch dice of roast turkey or one Rotisserie Chicken
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, torn
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
Salt & freshly ground pepper
In a heavy 6-quart stock pot, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently, until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to plate. Set aside.

Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. of the bacon fat, and return the pot to medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, squash and turkey stock. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Add zucchini, swiss chard, turkey, sage, thyme and the reserved bacon. Cook 5 minutes longer.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve.

dinner

I have never enjoyed shopping for my dinner more than in the last few weeks. The air is crisp…at least in the morning, and the farmer’s market stalls are groaning with root vegetables, cabbages, beets and potatoes. Apples are in abundance and are so juicy; the pears are still a little hard and would probably hurt your gums. I am still finding quince and even some sweet plump figs in small baskets tucked here and there. I also spotted some chestnuts that were quite large and firm, just ready for roasting. But what caught my eye are the squashes; the tiny crinkle-edged patty pans, the striped delicata, long-necked butternuts and others as fat and round as a football. I tend to prefer moderately sized fruit, squashes whose skins a thin enough to cut without resorting to an axe and small enough to bake within an hour. I usually make a soup of some kind or purée for a later use or simply roast them with butter and thyme.

A roast pumpkin is a side order rather than a main dish, though it would be lovely with brown rice and a thick tomato sauce, or incorporated into a savory bread pudding, even some caramelized sausages alongside would be a welcome combination for a cold night.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Roast squash with thyme

4 small to medium squash

2 Tbsp. butter

A glug of olive oil

Fresh thyme

Set the oven to 350°. Cut the squashes in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds from the center. Lay the squashes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Cut the butter into thin slices and put a slice in the center of each squash, together with a little olive oil, a good pinch of thyme leaves, a sprinkling of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Roast for an hour, checking them occasionally to see how they are doing. You want them to be sweet smelling and the flesh to be totally tender when you pierce it with a knife.

Serves 4

ode to the cauliflower

The quest continues on finding new ways (or variations of old ones) for elevating to culinary greatness those precious veggies that I receive from my local organic farm.

I believe I have found a winner. This is based on some research done on some unsuspecting friends we had over for dinner the other night. I am not sure they knew what they were in for. Although I did warn them that they would be guinea pigs for some recipe testing I was doing. They seemed up for the adventure. Until, they spotted the cauliflower. That white bulbous thing that most of us have had only steamed until it was mush and then doused in some processed cheese sauce. Frankly, I would run too! But I reassured them to hang in there. And after the drinks were refreshed, appetizers were served, I continued on with the dinner preparations.

Well, it was time, the moment of truth. We sat down. Gave thanks (I said a little prayer for the cauliflower) and the platters were passed. Slowly the comments started. By the time the cauliflower went around a second time I was getting questions "What is in this sauce?" and "How did you cook this?" I was more than happy to go into every last detail on the process.

So there you have it, the cauliflower was a hit. So much so, that my guests who were proclaimed cauliflower "unbelievers" have now been converted. But I can't take all the credit. I will give that to the salsa verde that accompanied the lovely caramelized slices of cauliflower and perhaps the little prayer.

Salsa Verde, the classic green sauce of Italy, is traditionally made of olive oil and chopped parsley flavored with lemon zest, garlic and capers. It adds a lively freshness to almost any dish. Flat-leaved Italian parsley is my preference, but curly parsley is good too. Fresh parsley is the star of the show, but almost any other fresh, tender herb can enhance salsa verde: tarragon, chervil, cilantro, and chives are good choices.

Zest, is the thin outer layer of the lemon's skin (or lime, orange): avoid grating any of the bitter white part called "pith" beneath. The zest brightens the flavor of the sauce, so don't be shy with it. My tool of preference for zesting is a microplane.

For a little variation try adding a little chopped salt-packed anchovy fillet, or chopped shallot, or finely chopped jalapeno for some extra zip.

Don't hesitate to experiment. I make salsa verde more or less thick depending on what I am using it for. I tend to use less oil when it's for roasted meats, and grilled/roasted vegetables and more for fish.

This recipe is an adaptation from the "classic" Italian salsa verde. But the amounts used here translate to any combination. Be creative!

Enjoy!

Shannon

Caramelized Cauliflower with Salsa Verde

1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

2 small or 1 large garlic clove, minced with a pinch of salt

zest of 1 lime

3 Tbsp. lime juice

4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

for the cauliflower

1 medium cauliflower (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)

salt & pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

First, prepare the salsa verde. In a medium bowl, combine the jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, and olive oil. Whisk to combine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, whisk and taste for seasoning. Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour to let the sauce develop in flavor.

Wash and dry the cauliflower. Put on a cutting board stem side down, and slice vertically into 1/4 inch slices, starting from the top going through to the core. You will probably only get 4 or 5 slices that remain in tact. The rest will be broken up, but not to worry.

On a heavy, large, rimmed cookie sheet carefully place the slices of cauliflower. Brush olive oil on both sides of the cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. The smaller pieces can be tossed in a bowl with some of the olive oil and then seasoned with salt and pepper. Place the smaller pieces on the cookie sheet with the slices of cauliflower. Be sure not to crowd or it will steam rather than roast.

Bake until the cauliflower is tender, golden, and deeply browned in spots, 20 to 30 minutes, turning once with a spatula.

Serve hot or warm, with the salsa verde on the side for drizzling.

Yield: 4 side-dish servings or 2 larger servings