Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Garlic & Lemon Aioli

April 10, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Roasted Brussels sprouts are our all-time favorite way to eat them and given the number of times they make an appearance on this blog as a side-dish that’s probably not a surprise. This recipe transforms them from a supporting player into a unique appetizer with the addition a lemon and garlic aioli.

Raw garlic is harsh and acidic, not something I’m that excited about eating, but roasting it in the oven transforms it into something mellow and rich. Great just spread on toasted bread, but even better when combined with lemon zest in this aioli and used as a special dip for the roasted Brussels sprouts.

As you trim and halve the sprouts make sure to gather any loose leaves that come away and include them on the baking sheet. They get super crispy and delicious – Mike looooves them and I bet you will too.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Garlic and Lemon Aioli (yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts
1 whole head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Trim the top off the whole head of garlic, about 1/4 inch, to expose the cloves. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over the tops of the exposed garlic cloves and loosely wrap the head of garlic in aluminum foil. Place the foil packet in the oven and roast at 400 degrees F. for 40-60 minutes until the garlic cloves are soft and deeply golden.

Meanwhile, trim the ends from the Brussels sprouts and cut in half lengthwise. Spread the Brussels sprout halves and any stray leaves on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and roast the Brussels sprouts for 30 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. The sprouts will be slightly crispy and browned on the exterior leaves and al dente in the center.

Allow the garlic cool until easily handled before using a butter knife to remove 5-6 medium-sized cloves of roasted garlic from the paper. Place the garlic in the bowl of a small food processor with the lemon zest, lemon juice, mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

Mix on low speed until the garlic is smooth and the ingredients are well combined. Serve chilled or at room temperature with roasted Brussels sprouts.

Partially adapted from Roasted Garlic recipe by The Kitchn.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, indeed. I used a chef’s knife, medium cutting board, one baking sheet, and a small food processor. I also used a microplane grater, measuring cups and spoons, parchment paper and aluminum foil.

The Verdict:
I first made this combination for a party this winter and I was shocked how fast it went. Three batches of sprouts later the small amount of remaining aioli was finding its way onto stray pieces of baguette as a spread. There were other cheesy, meaty options on the table too, so if that isn’t a strong endorsement I don’t know what is. It’s really simple to make and I like being able to offer a healthier option that still tastes amazing.

Black Forest Crumble Bars

April 03, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

A pure chocolate dessert is my first love, followed shortly after by treats involving chocolate and pretty much any other ingredient. Pairing semi-sweet or dark with an acidic fruit like orange, raspberry, or cranberry is one of my favorite combinations and for this bar I was inspired by classic Black Forest cake (or Schwartzwald Kirch Kuchen if you prefer the German.) This bar is essentially a sweet shortbread base layered with deep, dark cherry jam and semi-sweet chocolate – so simple to make but with impressive results.

I prefer jam or preserves - it’s easier to spread and has a little more texture than jelly – and both Polaner and Bonne Maman make wonderful versions with black cherries. I like to mix in a little fresh lemon juice to amp up the tang of the fruit and draw a sharper contrast with the sweet shortbread base. One of the best parts of this recipe is that it comes together so quickly with amazing results and 99% of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry or fridge right now.

Black Forest Crumble Bars (yield: 24 squares)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg, beaten at room temperature
12 ounces (1 package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 ounces cherry jam, room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
Non-stick spray

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the room temperature butter and sugar before adding the egg. Mix in the flour, slivered almonds (if using), and kosher salt until the mixture forms large crumbles.

Reserve 1 cup of the crumbles and evenly press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan with a rubber spatula or damp fingers.

If the cherry jam is too sweet (your call!), mix with 1 teaspoon freshly lemon juice before spreading over the bottom crust. Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips over the cherry jam and then top with the reserved shortbread crumbles.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes until the jam and chocolate are bubbling and the crumbles are golden brown.

Cool completely in the pan before slicing into bars and serving.

Inspired by and adapted from Hershey’s Holiday Red Raspberry Chocolate Bars.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, 100%! You’ll need one large mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a rubber spatula, a large spoon, and a 9x13 inch glass baking pan. I cut the recipe in half and used an 8x8 inch glass pan instead, but everything else is the same.

The Verdict:
Cherry, chocolate, and almond are a match made in heaven. I love the combination of the tart fruit flavor with the richness of the buttery crumble and sweet, but not too sweet chocolate. Besides being ridiculously good they also come together quickly with very little fuss and minimal ingredients – good news when you want a dessert sure to please, but don’t have a lot of time. Please make these, you won’t be sorry!

Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup

March 23, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Let’s be honest, we’re at kind of an awkward stage these days – everyone is dying for spring, meanwhile it’s still cold enough for hats and gloves. I’ll admit that I’m beginning to give my puffer coat the stink-eye as I put it on for the 150th day in a row and I’ve grown a bit tired of the heavier braises and stews that feel appropriate on crystal clear winter days. What’s a beleaguered northeasterner to do when winter refuses to give up and all I really want is to cast off the cocoon?

I have zero control over the temperature, but at least I can decide what comes out of the kitchen so I’ve begun transitioning our menus to lighter flavors like this Tuscan White Bean Soup. It fits all in one pot and serves the dual purpose of providing a warming meal and packing in lots of fresh veggies. Perfect on a cold early spring day!

Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup (yield: 8 servings)

Ingredients:
3 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 cup (1 medium) diced onion
2 cups (2 medium) large diced carrots
1 cup (2 stalks) large diced celery
2 teaspoons (2-3 cloves) garlic minced on a microplane grater
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
8 cups chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 sprigs rosemary
1 (3-4 inch) chunk parmesan rind (optional)
2 dried bay leaves
3 to 4 cups roughly chopped kale
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions:
Sauté the diced bacon in a large French oven over medium heat until crisp, remove from the pot to a paper towel lined plate. Add the olive oil, diced onions, celery, and carrots to the pot and cook for 7-10 minutes stirring occasionally until softened but not browned.

Meanwhile, mince the garlic very finely using a microplane grater so that it forms a paste. Add the garlic paste and red pepper flakes to the vegetables and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant and mellow.

Next, use a sieve to drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Strip the leaves from the sprigs of rosemary reserving the stems and finely mince the leaves. Remove the tough center ribs of the kale and roughly chop the leaves into large pieces.

Add the chicken broth, cannellini beans, rosemary stems, parmesan rind, and bay leaves to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a low boil for 5 minutes. Reduce to a bare simmer, add chopped kale, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the kale wilts.

Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary stems. Ladle 2 cups of soup into a blender or food processor and process at low speed until smooth. Return pureed soup to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and add kosher salt and pepper as needed.

Serve the soup with a sprinkle of the reserved chopped rosemary leaves, diced bacon, grated parmesan cheese, and a final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. A slice or two of rustic bread won’t go amiss either.

Adapted from 30 Minute Tuscan White Bean Soup by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt via Serious Eats

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes! I used my trusty 5.5 quart Le Creuset French oven, a large cutting board, a chef’s knife, microplane grater, vegetable peeler, wooden spatula, sieve and measuring cups. If you want to add some creaminess to the soup, then a stick blender, food processor, etc. will be helpful as will a large spoon or ladle.

The Verdict:
This soup successfully navigates the tricky waters of balancing kale’s fresh green bitterness with the light, creamy cannellini beans. Rosemary and bay leaves offer depth and there’s just a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes and garlic. A bit of salt from the bacon (when did bacon ever hurt anything?) and parmesan round out the mix. A great transitional meal that comes together quickly!

French Baked Eggs

March 20, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Isn't it nice when last night's dinner offers a head start on next morning's breakfast? Here in New York, despite being the (alleged) First Day of Spring we are currently “enjoying” a little snow storm to welcome the season. Yay? Tangent alert: Days like this remind me of elementary school when we’d make “out like a lion, in like a lamb” paper plate crafts by curling construction paper manes around our novelty size pencils and gluing cotton balls for wool. Just me?

Anyway, I’m holding out hope that we will finish March with mild weather, but while the lionish weather is still holding firm I’m sticking with comfort food. This baked egg dish could not be easier or more hands off and it has the dual benefit of being what I think of as a “leftover-makeover.”

Case in point: remember the Company Pot Roast from the other week? It was awesome, but once the roast was gone I still had several cups of beautifully seasoned and deeply flavored sauce. I hate wasting food so there was no way I'd throw something so delicious away. Thankfully, I was reminded by an article in Bon Appétit that both Portugal and Italy have versions of a dish where an egg is poached in rich tomato sauce. The leftover bourgiugnon-style sauce seemed like a great way to make a French inspired take on a Mediterranean classic. Just an idea to file away the next time you have extra stores of tomato-based sauce….

French Baked Eggs (yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:
4 cups Company Pot Roast tomato sauce
4 large eggs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 slices multigrain bread, toasted

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Divide the tomato sauce equally between four medium ramekins (16 ounce) or other small oven safe dishes. Place the ramekins in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce it hot and bubbling.

Use a spoon to create a well in the sauce and crack a whole egg into each depression. Return the ramekins to the oven and continue to bake for another 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the slices of multigrain bread.

When the whites have turned opaque and firm, but the yolk is still soft remove from the oven. Divide the grated parmesan cheese, fresh thyme leaves, kosher salt, and pepper evenly and sprinkle over the top of each ramekin.

Eggs continue to cook once removed from the oven, so serve immediately while the yolks are still runny with slices of toasted multigrain bread for dipping.

Inspired by and partially adapted from Eggs in Purgatory by Nigella Lawson and Portuguese Baked Eggs by Bon Appétit

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, indeed. I used four 16-ounce, oven-safe ramekins, a liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, microplane grater, a large spoon, bread knife, and medium cutting board. That’s it!

The Verdict:
I was initially suspicious when I first heard of this dish. The combination of tomato sauce and eggs just seemed bizarre, and when I decided to re-use the sauce from the Company Pot Roast I was afraid we’d try it and immediately have to call for pizza. I want to be modest, but it was delicious and both Mike and I dove right in cleaning our proverbial plates. I advise leaving the yolks uncooked and mixing them around with the tomato, it’s awesome. Don’t skimp on the toast – you’ll need it!