I have always been challenged by the little green cabbage heads...Brussels Sprouts that is! How to make them tasty, succulent, and crave worthy. Well...bring on the celebration....I have achieved "Brussels Sprout Nirvana!"
I took the following recipe to my family Thanksgiving celebration...a little worried...a tough audience...given my relations' cooking skills. My cousin's husband owns the titles for "Turkey...Not Your Mother's Bird," and "Classic Stuffing," my brother is king of "American Traditional Desserts with a Twist," and my sister rules for "Recipes Remade to Be Healthy and Still Taste Great." I have held the titles of "Best Salad,"and "American Regional Dessert." (My artfully arranged and carefully selected cheeses with savory nibbles apparently don"t count since I do not MAKE the cheese! Pah.) The senior generation still holds several crowns...having grudgingly surrendered others. A tough crowd to impress...
Here's the grocery list:
3 to 4 lbs Brussels sprouts, rinsed and cut in half through stem
1 lb mushrooms, chanterelles, cremini or oyster, cut into large rough pieces
2 shallots, sliced very thinly
4 oz. pine nuts
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
olive oil....please use the good stuff!
sea salt
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Put Brussels sprouts on large rimmed sheet...drizzle about 3 to 4 Tbsp olive oil over and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in oven for 10 minutes...stir sprouts...bake another 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven.
While cooking the Brussels sprouts...prepare the mushrooms. In a large skillet over med high heat...place 2 Tbsp olive oil to coat pan. Add mushrooms and let them brown...stirring occasionally. They will get juicy...you want to slowly cook the juices away. Remove from pan after about 6 to 8 minutes. Wipe out pan.
Put 2 to 3 Tbsp of olive oil in the pan...add the thinly sliced shallots and the pine nuts. Saute until onions are limp and the nuts golden. Pour in the chicken broth and cook until liquid reduced by half. Add the sprouts and mushrooms and stir to mix. Pour the cream over the top, turn the heat down to medium low and gently cook until thickened...stir often...about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with a little more sea salt.
I served in a large enameled Dru pan that I pre-warmed in the oven to keep everything nice and hot on the buffet.
I nervously eyed the table...strong competition...a cold wild rice, squash and dried cherry dish, acorn squash with kale and pecans...a corn souffle with mushrooms, red peppers and olives...a pear, pecan, blue cheese and endive salad. Yup. The veggies were a tough crowd. The mashed potatoes and marshmallow sweet potatoes did NOT count!
The younger group bypassed my dish...noooooo...but they skipped over most of the vegetables except the mashed potatoes and gravy. The semi-pro judges were next. "Eh...whose dish is the yellow cast iron one? What's in it?" When I told them it was Brussels Sprouts...it was scrutinized with narrowed eyes. But they were taking a spoonful. OK...so far. Last came the real cooks...my cousin and her husband...my brother and sister...
They all hesitated...looking at the table's bounty. And started spooning from each offering (a rule...in order to vote...you must try every dish...unless sadly...deadly allergic!) My cousin and I were last in line...when...
...two of the seniors came back at the table sheepishly putting their plates out "for a bit more of that Brussels Sprout stuff." A third came up with his wife's plate (who could tell?), with the same intentions. I looked down at the table...my dish was EMPTY except for a stray mushroom, some leaves and a puddle of cream! And that was disappearing rapidly since my cousin was sopping it up with a slice of bread. She mumbled something about "sampling it" when it was warming. My dish was clean! A slam-dunk title for me!!!!!
Good thing I had (like all good chefs) sampled my recipe before putting on the table. Yup. A winner. But maybe I'll tweak on it for next year with a bit of added Gruyere!
No sense in resting on my newly won laurels until next year...the family reunion is in July. Just the thought of the picnic has me thinking about a blue cornmeal cornbread recipe. Wonder how my farm relatives feel about smoked chilis? And could I make a poundcake that tastes like peach melba!? With fresh raspberries on the side?
I'll keep you posted...of course!
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