Eat Your Brussels!

Brussels sprouts get a bad rap. Seriously. And I can tell you why.

The first time almost any of us had brussels sprouts, they were overcooked. They smelled of cabbage. Their consistency was a bit, er, slimy. And the flavor. Well, let's just say that their Brassican roots got the best of them.

But, not every brussel sprout dish is created equal. And some can make this humble vegetable taste downright fantastic. This is one of those dishes. So, I want you to listen closely. And open your mind up as far as it will go.

First, you want to start off with the freshest brussels sprouts you can find. These happen to be from a batch I picked up at Saturday's farmer's market on the stalk. I LOVE buying brussels sprouts on the stalk. Not only do they look really cool, but you know they're at the peak of freshness. You want to wash the spouts, peel back any yellowing leaves, and trim off the ends. Then, you'll want to slice each little cabbage in twain.
Heat up a skillet, add a bit of oil, and saute a few onions. When they are starting to get tender, make sure the heat is on the higher end of medium, and add the brussels sprouts. I like to flip them over so that the cut side is down in as many cases as possible, as this promotes the lovely browning you'll see in the photo below. That browning is the beginning of what makes this dish so fantastic. You've never had brussels like this.
Now, when the brussels sprouts look fairly nice and browned, you'll want to add another secret ingredient -- a splash of beer. I like a darker brew here, but almost any beer would work. Splash the beer right into the pan, and cover the brussels sprouts for 5-10 minutes, until they've steamed and are fairly tender. Then get out a block of bleu cheese.

I love this Mindoro Gorgonzola. It has a nice, smooth flavor, and it's just perfect with the brussels sprouts. Now, I don't want to lose you here if you're not a fan of bleu cheese. If that's the case, I want you to substitute a small block of feta cheese.
Either way, cut off a bit of it and make sure it's nice and crumbled.
Then, throw it on top of those unsuspecting brussels sprouts.
When you take your first bite, the salty bleu cheese will greet you on the surface, with the subtle sweetness of the caramelized brussels sprouts lingering underneath. This is the perfect dish to serve alongside anything grilled. But, it also makes for an exceedingly nice topper for baked or mashed potatoes. And, if you have leftovers, they're not half bad piled into an omelette.

I could be wrong. But my bet is this might be just enough to make you rethink your previous opinion of the much-maligned brussels sprouts.



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Marscapone Stuffed French Toast with Fried Apples

We've been on a pancake kick at our house lately. First it was the pumpkin pancakes. Then, we made those delightful whole grain pancakes with a touch of whole grain pancakes with a touch of granola. It was starting to feel as if we were stuck in a rut.

So, this week, we decided to change gears and make up a nice batch of French toast. Initially, it started with a pretty basic craving (which I probably wouldn't have considered particularly blog-worthy). But, by the time I got to the store to buy the loaf of bread to get us started, the French toast concept had gotten a bit out of hand.

First of all, I fell in love with a loaf of cranberry nut bread. But, really -- take a look at that --is it any wonder?
I also remembered that I had a container of marscapone cheese in the fridge that needed to be used. So, I got to thinking -- maybe the two would play nicely together. I sliced the cranberry nut bread quite thick, leaving enough room for a pocket. Then, I mixed a bit of cinnamon and sugar into the marscapone... which, of course, made me all drooly inside.
I packed a nice amount of the marscapone inside the neat little pocket I'd made in each slice of bread.
And I tossed together a couple of eggs with some milk and a bit more sugar.
And, because he likes to be involved in the more violent aspects of cooking, Peef was good enough to whip it into a frenzy.
We nestled the stuffed bread into the eggy batter, and coated both sides nicely.
And then we threw the french toast onto a hot griddle, which had been rubbed down with a pat of butter.
While the French toast was cooking, I did my thing with a couple of sliced apples, which I figured would make a decidedly delightful topping. And that turned out to be true enough.
These slices of French toast were quite the indulgence. The cranberry nut bread caramelized nicely on the outside, the fruit in the bread offered intrigue, and the creamy marscapone mingled with the slightly firm, tart apples... making it feel like a genuinely special occasion.

This was some of the best weekend French toast I've ever had. And considering the chill in the air, I'd say it was downright perfect. So, I wrote it down. Cuz we'll definitely be doing it again.

Marscapone Stuffed French Toast with Fried Apples


©BURP! Where Food Happens