Learning To Love Brussels Sprouts

As a child, I did not like brussels sprouts.  Let me amend that statement: I would say that I hated them.  As the years have passed, my tastes have changed and expanded, including many foods that I had not thought I'd ever choose to eat, but I still thought, "Brussels sprouts-- yuck!"  Family and friends kept touting these miniature cabbages, over and over again, until I wondered if I might have them one day and actually find they were tasty.

As I shopped one day at Little House Green Grocery in Richmond, Virginia, I found myself in front of a stalk of incredibly fresh brussels sprouts.  They intrigued me and persuaded me to buy them so they could convert me to a sprout lover.  Oh, how glad I am that I did!

I first tried to roast them with garlic and olive oil, following Mark Bittman's recipe.  Things were proceeding perfectly until I checked on them and found them burnt!  My house smelled like failure...very tasty failure.  Encouraged by the few that emerged uncharred, I tried again and tasted success.  Needless to say, I now ask people how they like to fix these little guys so I can learn new tricks.  Thankfully, they are available in the produce section of many stores, washed and ready to steam, saute, roast, or whatever you prefer.  Trader Joe's even has them julienned for you.  Yum.

This is my most recent preparation: julienned and roasted with olive oil and bacon.  So easy.  So good.

Julienned Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

• Fresh brussels sprouts (serving size is 4 per person as a side, but I do at least 8 if I'm making a meal out of them)
• Olive oil
• Bacon (I used the Trader Joe's precooked applewood smoked bacon to cut out on some of the fat and mess)
• Salt and pepper to taste

If your brussels sprouts are not prewashed, wash and dry them well.  Preheat your oven to 425.

After cutting off the base, cut each sprout in half, then cut each half into thirds.  Set aside.  Chop your bacon into bite-sized pieces.  If you're not using precooked bacon, it will be easier to chop if it is colder, and make sure to use a different cutting board so there's no cross-contamination.  

Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to an overproof skillet.  I like to use a cast iron skillet, but if you do, make sure to watch the sprouts in the oven!  This is where I went wrong the first time.  Turn to medium-low and add the bacon to the pan.  When the bacon begins to sizzle, add your sprouts.  Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Stir the sprouts and bacon so that they are evenly coated with the olive oil (and yummy bacon fat), then sauté until they're turning a nice, bright green.  Put the skillet in the oven, checking after about 8 minutes.  

Give them a stir, then cook for another couple of minutes until the bacon is crispy, and the sprouts have begun to brown.  Watch them carefully!  They're good crispy and brown, but if they're getting too dark, take them out.

I like to serve them in a bowl with a spoon so that I can scoop up every bit.  Oh, they're so good!

Vegetarian variation: substitute butter for half of the olive oil.  You can also add garlic, and I imagine shallots would be delicious in this.  You can drizzle with balsamic vinegar or toss with some parmesan cheese as well.  Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato Sauce a la Scarpetta and Smitten Kitchen

I have been richly blessed this summer to get an abundance of lovely fresh produce, both from people's garden and from various farmer's markets.  This has necessitated new and different ways to utilize the goodies!  The other day, Smitten Kitchen posted a fresh tomato sauce inspired by Scarpetta's Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil, a much-beloved dish.  It sounded heavenly!  I set out to make the stuff...

SK's recipe calls for plum tomatoes, as does Scott Conant's (Scarpetta is his baby).  I decided that I have seen such exquisite tomatoes around that I would use what I could get fresh here in my town.  This ended up being about half heirloom tomatoes and half plum tomatoes, both of which looked perfect!  I can tell you from the outcome that this dish is a keeper.  I melded SK's version with the Scott Conant versions I found online, tweaking to my liking.

You can do much of this ahead of time, refrigerating the unfinished sauce until you're ready.  It seems to me that you could get it two-thirds of the way finished and then freeze, but I haven't tried that yet.  In any case, the recipe quantities say that this makes 4 smallish portions.  If you're serving it for company, I'd recommend either using this as a true pasta course, or supplementing with a lovely salad.

Fresh Tomato Sauce a la Scarpetta and Smitten Kitchen:

• 3 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes (if using plum tomatoes, Conant says you'll have about 20)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (This is lighter than the recipes I saw, but Conant recommends going lights as the salt will concentrate as the tomatoes cook.)
• 1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced, or a couple of smaller ones, thinly sliced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flake
• Small handful fresh basil leaves, with a couple of extras for garnish
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup or so grated good quality parmigiano (Reggiano if you've got it, but I used an artisanal one that was nice, and it was shredded.  It was a little different in texture than the grated would have been, but still quite good.)
• 1 tablespoon butter (or 2, if you're feeling like a richer sauce)
• freshly cracked black pepper to finish
• enough pasta for 4 servings (I used whole wheat spaghetti-- Ronzoni Healthy Harvest)

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  While waiting on this, take each tomato and cut a small "x" in the bottom.  When the water has come to a boil, immerse each tomato for 10-30 seconds (you should see the skin begin to crack), then either immerse it in a bowl of ice water or run it under very cold tap.  Peel the tomatoes, discarding the skins.  If you're cooking the sauce and pasta all in one fell swoop, Smitten Kitchen recommends keeping your pot of water to use for cooking the pasta later, which is an excellent way to save water.

Cut each tomato in half lengthwise, then get the seeds out.  I use a combination of squeezing gently, then scooping.  Do this over a strainer set in a small bowl so that you'll have the juices for the sauce.

Put your tomatoes and salt into a good-sized saucepan (non-reactive, of course).  You can either add the pasta to this later, which means you'll need a larger one, or later use a large skillet.  In any case, put the heat on medium-high and start breaking the tomatoes down.  Conant does this with a potato masher, but you can use an immersion blender or whatever tool you like, getting it as chunky or smooth as you like.

Bring the sauce to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low, simmering for about 35-45 minutes.  If they need to be broken down more, now is the time.  Add some of your reserved tomato juices if the sauce starts to look too thick.  [If you're making the sauce ahead of time, I'd stop here after about 35 minutes of cooking.  Place your sauce into a container, then refrigerate until you're ready to finish.]

Add your garlic, most of the basil leaves,  and the red pepper flake (crushed in the palm of your hand to release more heat, and use more than a pinch if you want more heat) to the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small saucepan.  Have your burner on the lowest possible setting so that the flavors slowly infuse into the olive oil as it comes to a simmer.  You should begin to smell everything a bit before it simmers.  Remove it from the heat as soon as it does.  Strain the oil into a vessel to use shortly.

[If you've prepared the sauce ahead of time, pull it out of the fridge now.] Boil water for your pasta, adding salt for flavor.  Once the water is boiling and the pasta has been added to the pot, I put the tomato sauce into a skillet on low heat, stirring occasionally.  Cook the pasta until it is al dente (or "very firm" as my package said), then drain it, reserving a half cup of cooking water.

When the sauce is your preferred thickness, add your flavored olive oil a bit at a time, checking for seasonings as you go.  Use as much or little of the olive oil as you prefer.  Add your pasta and 1/4 cup of the cooking water, tossing them together with tongs and cooking for 1-2 minutes.  Toss in the butter (if using), letting it completely incorporate into the sauce, then the cheese (if using).  Plate each portion, topping with some basil and some freshly cracked black pepper.

Enjoy!

Steamed veggies made even easier!

I was invited to a parish party tonight. Hating to show up empty-handed, I thought of what I had around the house so that I could contribute something yummy. I remembered the exquisite asparagus I had bought from The Old Farm Truck Market in Lively, VA and thought, aha! The rub in this plan was that I ran short on time between work and the party, plus I wanted to bring something cooling as it is, well, warmish (to put it mildly) here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Thanks be to Alton Brown, I have now learned how to steam asparagus and other veggies in the microwave! Genius, genius, genius. All the good of the veggies, plus the kitchen doesn't get overheated. It's a win, win.

As you can see from the picture, I chose to add something to my steamed asparagus, namely raspberry vinaigrette (while still warm) and crumbled goat cheese (after they had cooled a bit), which seems to figure into most everything for me right now. Needless to say, it was a huge hit, and I only got one piece of the dish. Oh well. I just need to get more and make it again!

Without further ado, here are your quick and easy instructions for steaming asparagus in the microwave. I've heard this works well for corn on the cob, too, and I can't wait to try that. I imagine it will take longer, but once I get the time, I will post it in the comments. Yum!!

Steamed Asparagus in the Microwave (per Alton Brown)

- 1 bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed

- 2 large paper towels, or 4 of the "select a size" ones, dampened with approximately a 1/4 cup of water or misted to be damp

- kosher salt

Spread the damp paper towels onto a flat surface. Lay your asparagus on top in a bunch and sprinkle with the kosher salt (not too much, but enough to mildly season it and bring out the green). Wrap the asparagus in the paper towels and place in your microwave, seam side down. Microwave on high for about two (2) minutes or until tender crisp. Season and serve as you will!

I can't wait to try this method with other veggies. Let me know which ones you do and which work best!

Roasted Asparagus

As a child, I could not stand asparagus. Fortunately for me, especially in this season, I have grown to love the stuff. It is easy to prepare and quite lovely. This bunch came from an asparagus farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia. If you can get fresh local asparagus, you will be nicely rewarded! It has a beautiful flavor that blows the all-season stuff away.

Asparagus can be done in a variety of ways-- grilled, sauteed, or roasted as I have done here. There are other ways as well, but these are quick and require a minimum of effort. You can add additional flavors according to your preferences so have fun with it! Here, I have added chopped shallots, scattered over the asparagus for the last five minutes of roasting. I also added some unsalted butter, which gave a depth of flavor. Enjoy!

You'll need:

- fresh asparagus, enough to put in a single layer on a baking tray

- salt and pepper to taste

- olive oil

- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)

- 1 roughly chopped shallot (optional)

To begin, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Make sure there is a shelf approximately in the middle so you don't get the asparagus too close to the heat.

Wash your asparagus, dry it, and snap off the stringy ends. To do this, gently flex the stalk towards the lower end and determine where it will break. Snap the end off. You can either use this as a measure to cut the remaining ends off with a knife, or you can snap each stalk, which I enjoy (and is an excellent job for a sous chef of any age).

Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. The non-stick foil is wonderful for this. Arrange your asparagus in a single layer.

Drizzle the asparagus with a bit of olive oil (not so much as to have a puddle-- about a tablespoon or two), then add the butter, if using, in small pieces arranged evenly in the layer of asparagus. Season with salt and pepper, then place in the oven for ten (10) minutes.

If using the shallot, roughly chop it. When the asparagus has been roasting for ten minutes, add the shallot, scattered evenly around the layer of asparagus. Let it roast for five (5) more minutes.

Serve with tongs, scooping up your shallots.

Comforts on a rainy day

There's been a lot of stress within my community recently, and today's downpour did not help the mood. It was time to break out the big guns, aka some comforting foods to battle the blahs! It was time for some collards and biscuits. The biscuits were storebought (Immaculate Baking Company), but the collards were slow-cooked completely from scratch. The beauty of the collards is that they're really inexpensive to make, even if you buy organic.

You could add some kind of meat if you want, but I did these after having some totally yummy and vegetarian collards. They are very satisfying.

Here's how to make them:

Anne Lane's Collards

- 2 bunches of collard greens, chopped into bite-sized pieces

- 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

- 2 small yellow onions, chopped as fine as you'd like

- 1 quart vegetable stock or broth

- crushed red pepper flake, to your taste (I do about 2 tsp., crushed in my palm to release their flavor)

- olive oil and butter-- combine according to your dietary needs, what you have on hand, and what you prefer!

- 3 cloves garlic, pressed

- salt and pepper, to taste

- apple cider vinegar, about a quarter cup (to taste)

Begin by heating the olive oil and butter in a minimum 3.5 quart pan that has a lid. Throw in the chopped onion and saute until it's translucent. Throw in the pressed garlic and saute until you can smell the garlic.

Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, throw the chopped collards and tomatoes into the pot, followed by the red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.

Bring the pot up to a boil, then reduce the heat to about medium. Cover the pot and simmer until the collards are tender, about 60 minutes. Check them every so often (I do every 20 minutes), adjusting the seasoning as needed. They'll only get better the longer they cook!

Add the apple cider vinegar about halfway through, adjusting the quantity to your preference. Finish with a pat of butter if you desire.

Serve in a bowl for best effect with some kind of bread to sop up the pot liquor. Enjoy!