Spicy Brussels Sprouts

Holiday meals in our house have taken on a new addition now that I’ve learned how to make Brussels sprouts. All I ever remembered about them growing up was how they stunk up the house and how they were cooked unevenly and were bland. By par-cooking them in the microwave you shorten the cooking time and ensure that they are always cooked perfectly. They have quickly become one of my favorite vegetables. They are salty, spicy, sweet and sour all in one bite.

Makes 6-8 sides

Ingredients

1 lb Brussels Sprouts (cleaned & halved*)

1 TBS Olive Oil

¼ lb Pancetta (sliced thick at deli) *

1 TBS of Garlic Confit (mashed) *

½ C Chicken Broth

1 TBS Fish Sauce

1 tsp Sriracha Sauce

1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

Clean the brussels sprouts by cutting off the bottoms, slice in half, and remove the outer leaves (see note). Place the in a covered microwave safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Dice the pancetta into ¼ inch pieces. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp. Remove the pancetta and place it on a paper towel to drain.

Carefully drain the Brussels sprouts and add them to the hot frying pan. Sautee for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the mashed garlic confit and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the fish sauce, Sriracha sauce, balsamic vinegar and pancetta. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

* NOTE: Cleaning Brussels sprouts can take a long time. I’ve found that if I treated it like a production line it goes much faster.

1.    Cut off all of the bottoms.

2.    Cut them all in half (many of the unwanted leaves will just fall off at this step.

3.    Peel off any unwanted outer leaves.

* Pronto Substitutes

Pancetta – substitute bacon.

Garlic Confit – puree whole peeled garlic cloves with just enough olive oil to make a paste.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Spicy Brussels Sprouts.

Citrus Herb Vinaigrette

This is one of my favorite salad dressings. It has a light, citrus, floral flavor that brings out the flavors of the salad instead of masking them. This is an ideal accompaniment to to a holiday meal or to a simple supper. 

Ingredients 
¼ C Sugar
3 TBS Water
2 TBS White Balsamic Vinegar*
4 tsp Garlic (minced)
1TBS Dijon Mustard 
2 tsp Lime Juice 
2 tsp Lemon Juice 
2 tsp Fresh Parsley (minced) 
½ tsp Fresh Thyme (minced) *
¼ tsp Dried Oregano
¼ tsp Table Salt
1/8 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper 
2/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions 
Whisk all ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl until blended. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking. Continue to whisk until you have formed an emulsion. Cover and chill for one hour before serving.

Note: this can be kept in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to one month. If the olive oil hardens in the refrigerator, warm the bottle in your hand and leave it on the counter for 15 minutes to warm up. Shake vigorously before using.

* Pronto Substitutes 
White Balsamic Vinegar – Use white wine vinegar.
Fresh Thyme – Use 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme or ½ teaspoon of dried basil.

The Two-to-One Rule
There is a simple rule to making a salad dressing. Use one part citrus/vinegar to 2 parts oil. From there the variations are endless. If you like a fruity dressing use a fruit flavored vinegar like raspberry balsamic. There is one thing you should never change, always use the best quality vinegar and extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor and mouth feel.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Citrus Herb Vinaigrette.