Posts Tagged brussels sprouts

Shredded Brussels Sprout Caesar with Bacon

The first time I made this Brussels sprout Caesar salad was for Thanksgiving dinner. I posted a photo of the salad on my Instagram feed, and a couple of people asked if I’d be sharing the recipe. I responded with a resounding yes, and let them know that I’d be posting the recipe the following week.

That was 3 months ago. (But who’s counting?!?)

As I’ve said time and time again, this business of having a baby is time consuming. It’s completely awesome, but it takes every spare ounce of energy that I can muster. And when I do finally get a few moments to myself, I have to use that time very wisely (i.e. working on projects for my clients, taking a shower, doing laundry, etc.) The ole blog tends gets left in the dust.

But, I am determined to get back in the saddle. I’ve been cooking a lot lately, and it feels great. I’m still trying to find the time and energy to photograph and write about food, but I’m getting there. Baby steps, people. Baby steps. (Please tell me you’re reading this in Bill Murray’s voice. What About Bob? is the best.)

So, it took me 3 months to get around to posting this Brussels sprout Caesar salad recipe. This salad is worth the wait, I promise. It’s all of the best things, tossed together into one tasty salad: Brussels sprouts seared in bacon fat, mixed with a tangy yogurt Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese, and crispy bacon.

Folks, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Shredded Brussels Sprout Caesar with Bacon

A warm Caesar salad, made with shredded Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, and a tangy yogurt Caesar dressing. Adapted from howsweeteats.com.

Ingredients

4 slices bacon
1 pound brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced very thin
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons greek yogurt
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 anchovies, minced
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
The juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

First, cook the bacon. (I’m more of a stovetop bacon kind of girl, but feel free to cook the bacon to your liking!) Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, flipping once, until the fat renders and the bacon is good and crispy. When ready, remove the bacon from the skillet and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan, and pour off the rest of the grease.
Next, make the dressing. In a food processor or blender pulse together the greek yogurt, anchovies, garlic, mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste, and adjust seasonings if needed.
Heat skillet with reserved bacon grease over medium heat. Toss shredded Brussels sprouts in the pan, making sure to evenly coat with bacon grease. Cook the sprouts for 4-6 minutes, until warm and browning along the edges.
Remove sprouts from the skillet and toss with a few spoonfuls of the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with grated parmesan cheese and crumble bacon over the top of the salad. Serve warm, with an extra dusting of freshly grated black pepper.

http://rosemarried.co/2015/02/28/shredded-brussels-sprout-caesar-bacon/

Pronto Pizza: Bringing Quality to the Suburbs

If you were to ask me about my favorite restaurants in Portland, I could rattle them off quickly and easily. Luce, Bollywood Theater, St. Jack. Du’s, Pok Pok, Boxer Sushi, Bunk, Apizza Scholls, Tanuki, etc. I could go on. We have so much good food in this town. I feel thankful and spoiled.

But, what happens when you drive 15 minutes outside of Portland? Or when you find yourself shopping at the mall or visiting relatives in the ‘burbs? Are you doomed to dine at chain restaurants and sketchy strip mall sandwich shops? (Disclaimer: I do not like chain restaurants. I find the food to be bland, processed, unhealthy, and uninspired. However, this is just my personal opinion and I don’t expect everyone to necessarily feel the same way.)

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably found yourself in the suburbs a few times, asking these same questions. Honestly, it’s a little bit shocking. Portland is brimming with amazing restaurants, but Portland’s outlying neighborhoods have (mostly) abysmal food options. It’s Red Robins and Olive Gardens as far as the eye can see.

Which is why I was so delighted to discover Pronto Pizza – a delicious restaurant with an emphasis on local and organic ingredients – right smack in the middle of a strip mall off 82nd Avenue in Clackamas, Oregon.

My husband and I were invited to dine at Pronto Pizza a few weeks back, and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The space is huge, but is decorated in such a way that the place feels intimate and cozy. (Fun fact: the owners bought all the Beaker & Flask furniture when it went out of business.)

The service was great – our waitress was clearly passionate about the food and she gave us great recommendations. We sampled a number of different dishes throughout the evening, including appetizers, salads, pizzas, and even a few items from the recently revamped children’s menu.

Baked Cauliflower Sticks

While most of the dishes we tried were tasty, the pizza was the clear standout of the evening. Made with imported Italian pizza flour, the pizza crust is damn near perfect. It’s chewy and charred in all the right places. The toppings are thoughtful and restrained, the sauce is light and flavorful. (It should be said that my husband used to work for Apizza Scholls and is a true pizza geek. Even he was impressed with Pronto’s Pizza.)

Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon

Other standouts of the evening included the polenta fries, the Brussels sprout salad, and the cauliflower ‘breadsticks’ from the kid’s menu. I wasn’t really a fan of the pasta (too heavy) or the beet salad (over-dressed), but the rest of the food was stellar. I applaud Pronto’s dedication to quality and their use of fresh, local ingredients. And, while I don’t have children of my own, I really appreciate that Pronto’s kids menu is full of creative, fresh, and healthy options such as homemade apple cranberry sauce and breaded and baked cauliflower sticks. (I kid you not, the cauliflower sticks were better than traditional breadsticks.)

The moral of the story? If you find yourself in the ‘burbs of East Portland and you’re wondering where to eat, there is a place that offers much more than your typical strip mall offerings. Pronto Pizza is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise desolate fast food wasteland.

Full disclosure: While our meal at Pronto Pizza was comped, all opinions expressed are my own.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnut Romesco

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and yet I find myself thinking about what it means to be truly thankful.

It’s just so easy to get bogged down in the details of everyday life, to get lost in the mundane. I get too caught up in it all.

And I just need to stop. I need to take a deep breath and look around me.

I have so much.

I have been given so much.

I need to work on being grateful for all that I have, and all that I’ve been given.

I need to work on being content.

Thanksgiving is a good starting point, a day dedicated to feasting and family and thankfulness. It is a wonderful reminder that I am really, truly blessed.

As I enter the holiday season, I want to retain a spirit of gratitude. I can’t say it will be easy, but I’m going to do my best.

In any case, I hope that your Thanksgiving was lovely. (I cannot believe it was a week ago! Where did the time go?) I made these Brussels sprouts as part of our Thanksgiving meal and thought I should share them with you all.

(They are so good, it’s a little bit silly.)

Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnut Romesco

Ingredients

1-2 lbs Brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
2 Red bell peppers
2 dried Ancho chilies or 1 tsp Ancho chili powder
3/4 cups roasted hazelnuts
1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 piece of crusty white bread
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet (or line it with foil or a Silpat).
Remove the outer leaves of the sprouts. With a sharp knife, cut off the bottom of the sprouts (the ‘stem’) and slice each in half.
In a small bowl, toss the sliced sprouts with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Once the sprouts are lightly coated, spread in an even layer on the baking sheet.Roast sprouts in the oven until lightly browned and fork tender (but still slightly firm!), about 15-20 minutes.
To make the romesco sauce: Cut crust off bread and brush with olive oil. Either toast in the oven or in a skillet until golden brown and crisp.
*If you decided to make/use ancho chili paste as opposed to chili powder, please do the following: To make paste, pour boiling water over 2 dried ancho chili pods. Allow to soak in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Remove pods from water and puree, adding a little extra water to make a paste.
In a food processor, combine hazelnuts, garlic, toasted bread, salt, and spices. Mix until a dry paste forms. Add chili paste, roasted red peppers, tomato paste, vinegar, and olive oil until a smooth paste forms. Add extra olive oil if you would like a thinner consistency. Taste and adjust spices as needed.
The romesco sauce can be made a day or two ahead of time and stored for later use. Romesco is best enjoyed at room temperature.
Once the Brussels sprouts are roasted, serve while warm with a healthy dollop of romesco sauce. You could also toss your Brussels sprouts in the romesco sauce!
Enjoy.

http://rosemarried.co/2012/11/28/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-hazelnut-romesco/

Chickpea Pancakes & Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Recipe for a perfect night:

1 Sunny Friday evening in Portland, Oregon
1 Dear friend, Mari
2 Glasses chilled Rosé
1 Porch swing
2 Chickpea pancakes
1 Generous helping of warm shaved Brussels sprout salad
2 Tickets to the Trailblazers vs. Lakers game at the Rose Garden
1 Huge victory over the Lakers by the Trailblazers

Combine all of these elements together and you have a (nearly) perfect evening.

The only reason I say nearly perfect – as opposed to completely perfect – is simply because my husband wasn’t able to join in on all the fun. He had to work late (boo, hiss).

But, my friend/food blogger/Blazer nerd Mari is a lovely substitute when the husband isn’t available, and we did it up right last Friday.

We drank good wine.
We soaked in the sun.
We ate good food.
We watched a great basketball game.
We wore our matching LaMarcus Aldridge Jerseys (like the dorks we are) and cheered on our boys.

We even met Blaze the Trail Cat (YES. Our mascot is really a cat. And, yes. His name is really Blaze the Trail cat.)

The food was fabulous, the company was superb, and the basketball game was nothing short of amazing.

But, enough of this basketball craziness. This is, after all, a food blog (as opposed a basketball blog), so I feel the need to tell you about the food that contributed to our perfect evening.

The chickpea pancakes are a recipe I’d seen on the almighty Tastespotting. I always keep an arsenal of Gluten Free recipes around for nights when Mari visits, and this recipe was at the top of my list. Not only was the recipe gluten free, but it was vegan (yay Lent!), required minimal prep and/or ingredients, and it looked unbelievably tasty.

The original recipe paired the chickpea pancakes with a lovely green salad. I didn’t have the makings for a lovely green salad, but I did have a bunch of Brussels sprouts that I needed to use up. So, then, I simply made up a “salad” using the Brussels and various other ingredients I had laying about. The result: a warm shaved Brussels sprout salad with shallot, almonds, and lemon. It was the perfect compliment to the chickpea pancake.

I served the warm salad atop the chickpea pancake, with a drizzle of Goddess dressing over the top.

Recipe: Chickpea Pancakes (Socca) with Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
3 cups Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed
1 small shallot, diced
The juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
Dash of red chili flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Using a knife or mandoline, slice Brussels sprouts very thinly.

Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium high heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Set almonds aside.

In the same skillet, warm 1 tablespoon quality olive oil (or clarified butter). Add minced shallot to the pan and cook until translucent.

Add in sliced Brussels, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until sprouts are starting to wilt (but are still green and crisp). Remove pan from heat, and toss the Brussels mixture with lemon juice, salt, pepper, chili flakes and toasted almonds. Serve warm.

The recipe for the chickpea pancakes can be found at Whole Living Daily.