brussels sprouts two ways
And I’m back! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know Dr. Dayan & Co. did, since they prepared an outrageously photogenic turbaducken (photo by the lovely Jocelyn) and lived to tell about it. Mine was mostly spent nestled in a comfortable corner of a soft leather couch, gently falling in and out of sleep after enjoying my future mother-in-law’s delicious home-cooked meals (like how I slipped that in there?). Between a surprise celebratory weekend trip to Chez Panisse (best meal ever: fresh oysters, Dungeness crab, coq au vin, a beautiful piece of halibut, big smiles, and funny because I guess I like seafood now) and the Thursday turkey feast, we also had a downright awesome pre-Thanksgiving dinner at Pavla and Diana’s. Warm and tasty food, warm and fuzzy feelings, and a warm apartment where I am always happy to break a sweat for just about any occasion.
Without even hosting Thanksgiving in my own home, I had some minor cooking disasters: gluey pie crust and a pot that boiled over and extinguished the pilot light by flooding the stove. My plates to share were a sweet potato pie and two preparations of Brussels sprouts (apparently I’m the only asshole who brings meat to a vegetarian household). These aren’t really recipes, just loose re-tellings of things prepared while sleep-deprived, giddy, and hungry.
Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo and Almonds
Blanch Brussels sprouts in boiling salted water: about 2 minutes for small ones (about 1 inch in diameter). Drain and put the sprouts in a bowl of ice water (this quickly stops the cooking process and preserves the bright green color). If you have larger sprouts, cut them in halves or quarters after they’ve cooled off in the ice water. In a separate pan, cook chopped Spanish chorizo with a tiny bit of olive oil, over medium heat. After the chorizo looks like it’s starting to glisten and bubble a bit, add chopped onions. When onions turn translucent, add Brussels sprouts, a bit of salt, and black pepper. Cook until sprouts are slightly browned, tossing occasionally. Toss with sliced almonds at the end.
Brussels Sprouts and Carrots with Lemon, Honey, and Thyme
Again, start by blanching Brussels sprouts. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped carrots and saute for a few minutes. Add sliced garlic, Brussels sprouts, sprigs of fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook until sprouts are slightly browned, tossing occasionally. Add a little bit of water if things seem to dry or are sticking to the pan. Add honey and lemon juice, tossing to evenly coat the vegetables. Give it another few minutes to heat everything through.
