I Love Brussels Sprouts, Recipe from Vicki Delany

Brussels sprouts have a horrible reputation. Maybe it’s because the mothers of many of us (in the days before our fathers cooked) boiled them and slapped the sodden limp vegetable onto a plate. Much the same with spinach, another thing I love when done properly.

I particularly love sprouts when they’re cut right off the stalk, pulled out of the farmer’s field moments before.

I make them this way all the time, it’s so quick and easy.  I’ve seen recipes that add bacon to the vegetable but there’s no need for all those extra calories. I’ve added some red peppers to this recipe, but plenty of things will work, try hot peppers, mushrooms etc. Give it a try. I bet you’ll love them.

Brussels Sprouts Sautéed in Soy Sauce.  

Adjust quantities based on what you have on hand and how many people you’re feeding.

1 Tbsp olive oil

Brussels Sprouts, halved 

Chopped Green Onion

Minced garlic

Chopped red pepper

Soy sauce (about 1 tbsp)

Salt and pepper

Heat oil in frying pan. Add onions and garlic and cook on medium-high until soft, stirring often. Add sprouts and peppers (and other vegetables you’re using).  Add soy sauce and salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the sprouts are nicely browned. Be careful not to burn them.

Follow Vicki at www.vickidelany.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor. You can sign up to receive Vicki’s quarterly newsletter at Vicki Delany – Canadian Author of Mystery Novels and Suspense Novels » Contact

 Preorder now! THE GAME’S A FOOTNOTE, the eighth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery coming in January from Crooked Lane Books.

 

 

Holiday Sprouts: A Festive Valentine Side Dish from Cleo Coyle #ValentinesDay

Cleo Coyle: Blue cheeses brings a rich and sophisticated flavor note to recipes, especially when paired with the sweetness of ripe or dried fruits. The second time I realized this was many years ago while stuffing my face in a beloved New York eatery called Bryant Park Grill, where I completely blissed-out over a pear and Stilton salad. 

The first time I got a clue, I was in my early twenties, visiting a friend in England, who took me to a formal dinner at Oxford University. The dinner felt like something out of Harry Potter (without the magic wands and sorting hat :)). Then the close of the meal showed me true culinary magic, and I happily concluded that port and Stilton were my new best friends. 

The elegant finish to that formal English meal introduced me to the idea of pairing blue cheese with the flavor of sweet, ripe fruit. It's the same happy pairing I've used in today's recipe. 

As for my New York experience, here's a photo
of the beautiful restaurant where it took place...

New York magazine called Bryant Park Grill one of the best-situated and most attractive dining rooms in the city, and so it is. If you are planning a trip to Manhattan or even a romantic Valentine's dinner, click here or on the photo above to learn more about this lovely spot.

The 💗 Love Connection...

To learn more,
click here.

While Bryant Park Grill's famous pear and Stilton salad helped to inspire today's recipe, there is another connection between us: a literary one.

My husband and I have always loved the pretty city park location of this airy restaurant. We loved it so much, in fact, that we decided to use it as a featured setting in our 12th Coffeehouse Mystery HOLIDAY BUZZ. 

Not only that...

This restaurant stands right behind New York Public Library's great and glorious main branch, a landmark Beaux-Arts building that we featured in our 8th Coffeehouse Mystery HOLIDAY GRIND.

So you see, with both literary and culinary love connections attached to this side dish, we couldn't help but feature it for Valentine's week...

A RECIPE NOTE FROM CLEO 

Cleo Coyle has a partner in

crime-writing—her husband.

Learn about their books

by clicking here and here.

These fancied-up sprouts pair beautifully with almost any kind of main dish, and they're lovely served with wine or champagne. 

When I first shared this recipe (over ten years ago), I suggested it as a festive side dish for holiday dinners. But the coupling of sophisticated flavors makes it a great side for a romantic Valentine's meal, as well. 

Finally, although English Stilton is always an amazing choice, any blue cheese will work in this recipe, including Danish blue (aka Danablu), Italian Gorgonzola, or French Roquefort. And if you’re not a fan of dried figs, try substituting dried cranberries (or Craisins), which is an equally festive flavor. As long as you pair the blue with a sweet, dried fruit, you're on the right culinary track.

Where to buy Stilton?

Again, while any blue cheese will work in this recipe, if you're a fan of English Stilton and fancy a treat, click here to virtually visit my favorite cheese shop in New York City. Murray's Cheese Shop is located in the heart of Greenwich Village, where our Coffeehouse Mysteries are set, and they ship almost anywhere.

To download this recipe in a 

free PDF that you can print, 

save, or share, click here.

Click for the free recipe PDF.

Cleo Coyle's Holiday Sprouts
with Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Figs

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 slices thick bacon (or 4 slices thin)

1 large yellow onion, chopped 

1 10-oz package of whole Brussels sprouts (about 18-20 sprouts)

10 dried mission figs, roughly chopped (Or 3/4 cup dried cranberries.)
1-1/4 cups water
Crumbled blue cheese (any blue will do; English Stilton is my fave)

DIRECTIONS:

(1) Prepare sprouts and figs: Wash and dry sprouts and slice each in half. Chop dried figs. Set aside. (If you aren’t a fan of figs, try 3/4 cup dried cranberries or Craisins.)

(2) Brown bacon pieces: Cut bacon slices into small pieces. In large skillet, fry bacon pieces until browned but not crisp. NOTE: As soon as you move to the next step in this recipe, the bacon will stop browning, so make sure your bacon displays some nice caramelized color before you move to step three and toss in your onions.

(3) Add chopped onions: Throw in the chopped onions and sauté until lightly caramelized. Remember: color equals flavor! If you move to the next step before the onions get a bit of color on them, they will not taste as sweet and the dish will not be as tasty. As with so many things in life, patience is a virtue, especially when sautéing onions!

(4) Toss in sprouts and figs: With the bacon browned and the onions sweetly caramelized, you are ready to throw your sliced sprouts and chopped figs into the pan. Fold these in well, until they are absolutely glistening with the rich, delicious flavor of rendered bacon fat!

(5) Add water, cover, and simmer: Here is the trickiest step. Pour in about one and one-quart cups of water (1-1/4 cups). Cover and simmer the mixture on medium-high heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. After about 8 minutes, lift the lid and stir. Bite into one of the sprouts to see how far it is from properly cooked through. You want a nice al dente texture and not mush. If the sprout is too hard, replace the lid and keep going, checking every few minutes.

Also check to see if the water is evaporating too slowly or quickly. If too slowly, remove the lid and turn up the heat. If too quickly, add a little more water so the mixture does not burn. While you do not want this dish to be swimming in liquid at the end of the cooking process, neither do you want it to scorch. The trick here is getting the water to evaporate at the proper rate so that the sprouts are perfectly cooked through and still browned a bit in the pan, giving you that beautiful little caramelized rim that you see in my photos. (Yes, color = flavor. But black = burned!)

(6) Finish: To serve, spoon onto serving plates and crumble your favorite blue cheese on top, whether it’s a Danish blue, an Italian Gorgonzola, or a French Roquefort. For a special treat, try English Stilton, which you can also serve as an appetizer with sweet slices of pear, or as a final course with a lovely glass of port before coffee, tea, or espresso.

Click for the free recipe PDF.

☕

Eat (and read) with joy!   

~ Cleo Coyle

New York Times bestselling author
of The Coffeehouse Mysteries &
Haunted Bookshop Mysteries

This is us >> Alice and Marc.

Together we write as Cleo Coyle. 

Visit our online coffeehouse here.
And follow us at these links...

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to the recipes found in our new Coffeehouse Mystery:
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts #recipe #Thanksgiving @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE: What to make to add to your Thanksgiving bounty if you need a side dish but don't have a lot of time to come up with something fussy? I can highly recommend roasted Brussels sprouts with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Parmesan cheese to finish. This dish can go with just about any meal--say meatloaf, or Thanksgiving turkey, or roast chicken. I can even imagine it with pasta! Maybe these vegetables deserve a little doggerel...



You can eat them in spring, 
You can eat them in the fall,  
We think roasted Brussels sprouts 
Are good any time at all!



Ingredients to serve 3

1 pound fresh Brussel sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450. Wash, trim, and halve or quarter the Brussels sprouts depending on their size. Mix the sprouts with the olive oil and vinegar. Roast 15 minutes on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, turning from time to time, until the vegetables are slightly crisp. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Since the cheese is salty, we didn't find we needed to add salt, but you be the judge on that!

cut sprouts in oil and vinegar

after roasting

grate some cheese over top

And that's it! Time left to write or play or make dessert!

Lucy Burdette writes the Key West food critic mysteries--find them wherever books are sold! Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest--Instagram too...

Welcome author Edith Maxwell with a Guest Post and Giveaway

To learn more ororder, click here.

We're in for a treat with our guest today. Edith Maxwell is a former organic farmer, and she is sharing a wonderfully fresh and healthy recipe with us as well as a special giveaway. (See more at the end of this post.)

Edith is also sharing news about her upcoming release, 'Til Dirt Do Us Part, the second entry in her Local Foods Mystery series. 

Now take it away, Edith!
                                           
~ Cleo

* * * 

I’m delighted to be a guest again on one of my favorite blogs. I was an organic farmer about twenty years ago for a few years, and I love immersing myself in that world again as I write the Local Foods Mystery series. The second book in the series, ‘Til Dirt Do Us Part, takes place in the fall. As it opens, Farmer Cam Flaherty is hosting a farm-to-table dinner under a big tent, with chef Jake Ericsson cooking up food from from her farm and several other farms to serve to eighty guests.

I was inspired by a local farm-to-table dinner that we attended when I was writing the book. As far as I know, unlike in my story, one of the Cider Hill Farm guests didn’t end up dead the next day! The chefs at our local Phat Cats Bistro, who made the meal, even gave me the recipe for their Sweet Potato Empanadas appetizer to include in ‘Til Dirt Do Us Part.

Fall is Brussels sprouts season. They are strange-looking plants in the field, waist-high stalks with the little heads hanging on like aliens.

Jake makes this dish for Cam in the last scene in the book, which will be out May 27 from Kensington Publishing. If you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts, you might change your mind after you fix this recipe. (The leaves are delicious, too, but that’s another recipe.)

Brussels Sprouts and Shallots
in White Wine Reduction
from Edith Maxwell

Serves six

Ingredients:

4 T fruity olive oil

1 T butter

12 large shallots, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise, about 3/4 lb

2 garlic bulbs, cloves peeled and left whole, about 40 cloves

2 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 T chopped parsley

1 cup white wine (or red, if you prefer)

1 cup chicken stock

1 T Dijon mustard

Directions:

In a heavy casserole with a tight lid, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, toss to coat with the oil and cook about 5 minutes.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the parsley and chicken stock, stir well and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and braise just until Brussels sprouts are tender. 

Remove Brussels sprouts, add the mustard, and reduce liquid. 

Add back Brussels sprouts, toss to heat and coat with sauce. Serve warm.

To serve as a casserole, cook brown rice or couscous, spread it in an oven-proof serving dish, top with the finished  recipe, grate fresh Parmesan or Romano on top, and warm in the oven for fifteen minutes.

Author Edith Maxwell
Visit her online here.

About Edith...

Former organic farmer Edith Maxwell writes the Local Foods Mysteries about farmer Cam Flaherty, a Locavore Club, and locally sourced murder (Kensington Publishing). 'Til Dirt Do Us Part (May, 2014) includes rescue chickens along with murder and mayhem down on the farm.

Under the pseudonym Tace Baker, Edith writes the Speaking of Mystery series (Barking Rain Press), featuring Quaker linguistics professor Lauren Rousseau in small-town Massachusetts. Bluffing is Murder releases in November, 2014. Edith holds a PhD in linguistics and is a long-time Quaker.

She also writes award-winning short crime fiction, and blogs every weekday with five other New England cozy mystery writers at WickedCozyAuthors.com. A technical writer and fourth-generation Californian, she lives north of Boston with her beau, three cats, and an impressive array of garden statuary.

Edith is the mother of two adults sons, both excellent cooks, writers, and supporters of their mother's books, and one of whom is now a farmer and served as Edith's chicken consultant in 'Til Dirt Do Us Part.

http://www.edithmaxwell.com

http://www.facebook.com/EdithMaxwellAuthor

http://wickedcozyauthors.com/

(Twitter) @edithmaxwell

Congratulations to
Angie Young!

Angie is the winner of our
comment-to-win contest.

Angie will receive the first book in

 Edith's terrific Local Foods Mystery series,

A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die.

And don't forget, the
second book in her series...

'Til Dirt Do Us Part,
will be out on May 27, and is

now available for pre-order.

Thanks again to Edith

 for joining us today and...

Happy Mother's 

Day!

Maple Syrup Roasted Brussels Sprouts

We like veggies around here. Really! We have a bad habit, though, of making them the same old tired ways. Bland and uninspired, leading to comments like "not kale again?"


My new obsession is roasting vegetables. It's easy and everything turns out delicious. I started experimenting with Brussels sprouts a few months ago. You'd think it would have been easy. There are very few ingredients. What could go wrong?


The temperature, for one. At 425, maple syrup burns. The Brussels sprouts didn't taste bad, they were just a little, um, well done. 400 wasn't much better. 350 was a disaster. Definitely not hot enough. Who'd have thought it? But it dawned on me that the problem wasn't just the temperature, it was a combination of temperature and cooking time. The maple syrup could stand the higher temperature for a short period of time, but then the Brussels sprouts were a little crunchier than one might like.


Instead of roasting them whole, I started cutting them in half. Much better! They didn't take quite as long to cook, so the sugar didn't burn.


The key here seems to be going light on the oil. If you use even a tablespoon of oil, it tends to dilute the maple syrup too much. So use a light hand with the oil. And use a small dish just big enough for a single layer of Brussels sprouts so the lovely syrup doesn't roll away. If you have large Brussels sprouts, you'll need to roast them for 20 minutes.


A little maple syrup makes boring Brussels sprouts taste like little gems. My favorite thing about this recipe is that it's a quick and easy no-brainer that I can make in the middle of the week for lunch. Oddly enough, we never have any left over.

Easy Maple Syrup Roasted Brussels Sprouts

about 10-12 Brussels sprouts
olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
salt

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the ends off the Brussels sprouts and peel off outer leaves. Slice in half. Place in a single layer in a small oven-safe pan or baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Pour the maple syrup over the Brussels sprouts and turn them a few times to coat. Sprinkle with a large pinch of salt. Roast 15-20 minutes. Syrup should be sizzling and Brussels sprouts should be tender.