Posts Tagged ‘Dinner’

Many people will probably find it odd that I’m using “comfort food” and “Brussels Sprouts” in the same sentence, but Brussels Sprouts are a form of comfort food for me. While I love them roasted and served with nothing more than salt and pepper, cooler weather calls for a more robust preparation. One of my favorite ways to eat Brussels Sprouts is smothered in a cream sauce flavored with sherry and bacon. It’s so easy to make too.

First, you roast your sprouts in the oven. Just trim them, cut them in half, toss them with some oil, salt, and pepper, and place them on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 475° F for about 15 minutes. They should caramelize a bit and develop some tasty brown parts! Prior to roasting them, I like to soak them in a salt-water solution for about an hour to remove some of the bitterness.

Roasting Brussels Sprouts

While my sprouts are roasting away in the oven, I prepare the cream sauce. I start by browning some chopped thick-cut bacon:

Browning the Bacon

Then I add one chopped shallots and some chopped cremini mushrooms to the pan with the bacon and sweat those for about 5 more minutes. Then I toss in one clove of garlic (chopped), cook for a minute, and add 1/4 cup sherry and 1/2 cup heavy cream to the pan. I then reduce this sauce by half, until it is thick and coats the back of a spoon.

Cream Sauce with Bacon, Shallots, Mushrooms, and Sherry

Once the sauce is thickened to my liking, I transfer the roasted sprouts from the oven into the pan with the sauce, add a bit of salt and pepper to taste, and toss everything until it is coated. Voila – roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Bacon-Sherry Cream Sauce!

Brussels Sprouts w/ Bacon-Sherry Cream Sauce

This is a seriously delicious way to eat your green veggies. Sprouts contain high levels of Vitamin C and Vitamin K and all kinds of other healthy compounds which help fight everything from cancer to cholesterol. So, if you’re going to eat your bacon, you might as well have it with some Brussels Sprouts.

I try to participate in Meatless Monday. It’s far easier than you would imagine, especially during Summer. This is the time of year when we have zucchini in abundance. If you’re tired of doing the same old zucchini bread and zucchini bakes, give this scrumptious tart a try. It’s a great way to use the plethora of zucchini!

Zucchini & Gruyere Tart via Food.com

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 lbs fresh zucchini, thinly sliced (about 6 medium zucchini or 4 cups)

* 1 cup chopped onion

* 1 tablespoon olive oil

* 1 garlic clove, minced

* 1 teaspoon herbes de provence

* salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

* 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

* 2 tablespoons pesto

* 2 eggs, beaten

* 1 cup grated gruyere cheese or 1 cup swiss cheese, plus a little extra for topping

* 1 (8 oz.) package crescent roll dough (or your favorite shortcrust pastry recipe, see note)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. TO MAKE CRUST:.

Unfold crescent dough from the tube and press dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of tart pan to form a crust, pressing gently to seal any perforations; spread crust with pesto. (NOTE: If you will be using a shortcrust pastry recipe instead of the crescent roll dough, you will need to blind-bake it before adding the filling).

3. TO MAKE FILLING:.

In a large skillet, saute the zucchini, onion, and garlic in the olive oil until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and the herbes de Provence, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool slightly before stirring in the beaten eggs and cheese.

4. With a slotted spoon, transfer the filling into the prepared tart shell and spread evenly; sprinkle the top with a little extra grated cheese. I transfer the tart to a baking sheet to catch any overflow. Bake until set and crust is golden, about 16 to 19 minutes.

5. Remove to a wire rack and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes, before removing sides of pan.

6. TIP: For ease of removal, place the tart on a large can, then carefully pull the sides of the pan down around it (you may need to run a knife around sides of crust to loosen).

7. Slide tart off the bottom portion of the pan onto a rimless serving dish or cutting board (or leave it on the base to serve). Let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

8. Good served warm, cold or at room temperature.

Recipe from food.com