Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Gorgonzola & Pecans

First impressions about Brussels sprouts…. and go….

Let me guess. First thought is “ew.” Followed by something like, “who eats that?” I used to think the same. When we were little my mom would steam them, stinking up the kitchen. My youngest brother was the only one of us fooled into eating the “baby trees” (no, wait, that was broccoli…. well, it was something like that).

Anyway, then one day, when I was in high school or college, my mom roasted the Brussels sprouts until they were crispy. The veggies were non-stinky, so I gave them a whirl. I was officially a convert. Roast ’em and you’ll get a slightly sweet taste and crunchy texture. Throw on some salt and maybe some bacon, and it quickly became one of my favorite sides, and the only way I’d eat Brussels sprouts.

Then this recipe came long. The Brussels sprouts were cooked pretty much the same – sliced instead of halved but roasted until crispy. Tossed with pasta, pecans, and a very light Gorgonzola-cream sauce, this recipe is sure to win over Brussels sprout-haters. Give it a try. Even a doubtful coworker cleaned his plate.

Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Gorgonzola & Pecans

Adapted from Fine Cooking No. 102 (p. 107)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground back pepper
  • 4 c. (20 oz.) Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 3 1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb. dried pasta, such as shells or orecchiette
  • 1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans
  • 2 large shallots, minced
  • 3/4 c. heavy cream
  • 1 c. Gorgonzola, crumbled

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a heavy rimmed baking sheet on the rack and heat the oven to 500°F. You want the baking sheet hot before you roast the Brussels sprouts.

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and a bit of salt, for the pasta. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Prepare the Brussels Sprouts: In a food processor fitted with the slicing disk, slice the Brussels sprouts. When the baking sheet is heated, remove from oven. Place Brussels sprouts on baking sheet, and use a large spoon to toss with olive oil, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper, until Brussels sprouts are coated. (You can also toss the Brussels sprouts, oil, salt, and pepper, in a large bowl, and then spread on the baking sheet, if you prefer.) Make sure Brussels sprouts are spread out in a single layer before roasting, until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes (stirring halfway through).

Cook the Pasta: As Brussels sprouts are roasting, cook pasta according to the box, draining once cooked.

Make the Sauce: In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1/2 Tbs. butter. Add pecans, cooking until pecans are toasted and butter is browned, about 3 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently. With a slotted spoon, remove pecans and place on a plate. In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter. Cook shallots until softened, another 3 minutes, still stirring frequently. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, and add 3/4 c. Gorgonzola, stirring until melted.

Put it Together: In a serving bowl, toss pasta, pecans, Brussels sprouts, and Gorgonzola-cream sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c. Gorgonzola. Serve warm.

Acorn Squash with Rosemary and Brown Sugar

This year was the first time I’ve participated in a CSA (community supported agriculture). I love that I’m supporting local farmers and providing them with a reliable source of income. However, I do have mixed feelings on the program. I love the CSA I belong to – I love the variety of fruits and veggies I get, and the quality. However, I don’t like not knowing what I’m going to get each Tuesday. It makes it hard for me to plan, since I do so much planning and cooking on the weekends.

That being said, getting some unexpected surprises has helped me broaden my horizons and test out new recipes. For instance, I’ve mostly only had butternut squash, although I’ve had acorn squash a few times. Every time, I prepare it in the same way – halved, scoop out the middle, and roast it with butter and brown sugar in the middle. This recipe is close, but the rosemary and white wine add a lighter flavor (as opposed to pure butter and sugar). An added bonus? My squash-adverse hubby actually liked this recipe. One more point for Fine Cooking.

Enjoy!

Acorn Squash with Rosemary & Brown Sugar

Adapted from Fine Cooking No. 107 (p. 24)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 lb. acorn squash (unpeeled), halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 c. dry white wine
  • 3 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary (be sure to use fresh – dried rosemary isn’t nearly as good!)
  • 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Wash the squash and cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and then slice the squash along each ridge, so that the squash is in wedges.

Heat a 11-12 in. sauté pan over medium heat. Add butter and oil. When melted, add squash, arranging in a single layer. Cook until all sides are golden-brown, flipping as needed, about 10 minutes total.

Add wine to pan, scraping bottom to get up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle brown sugar, rosemary, lemon juice, salt, and pepper over squash.

Cover and lower heat. Summer until squash is almost tender, about 10 minutes.

Raise heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken and squash will be tender. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Greek Panzanella

When I told K that Greek Panzanella was on the menu for this week, she offered to move in. I mean, since the hubby doesn’t share the same taste in vegetables that I do, I need someone else living here to help eat tasty dishes that he doesn’t like. Well, K, you get to keep your place, share my dish, and even go home with a doggy bag. As soon as we tossed everything together, she and I were picking out the pieces of from this Greek salad well before the rest of the meal was on the table. Hope you enjoyed the left overs and get a chance to make this real soon!

PS – This dish be prepared ahead of time, and tossed together 30 minutes prior to serving.

Greek Panzanella

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network

Serves 6

Ingredients for the Salad:

  • Olive oil
  • 6 c. French bread cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3/4 a baguette)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 bell peppers, in a large dice
  • 1 cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices, then quartered and seeded
  • 1 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 a red onion, in a large dice
  • 1/2 lb. feta cheese, cut into cubes (or 8-oz. crumbled feta)
  • 1/2 c. calamata olives, pitted (optional)

Ingredients for the Vinaigrette:

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black peppers
  • 1/2 c. olive oil

Prepare the Salad:

Brown the bread cubes, either in a large saute pan on the stove (medium heat, tossing frequently for 5-10 minutes) or on a baking sheet in the stove (450F for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through). Bread cubes should be drizzled with olive oil (about 3 Tbs.) and salt before toasting. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place cucumber, onion, peppers, and tomato in a large bowl, while setting aside the feta, olives, and toasted bread.

Make the Vinaigrette:

Whisk together all ingredients except olive oil. Add olive oil slowly, still whisking. Pour 3/4 of vinaigrette over vegetables and set aside.

30 minutes prior to serving, toss vegetables with bread, feta, and olives. Allow flavors to blend. If needed, add remaining vinaigrette.

Serve at room temperature.

Save

Scalloped Tomatoes

I was really happy to see Pink Parsley Catering picked Scalloped Tomatoes for one of this month’s Barefoot Bloggers recipe. I had seen Ina make it earlier this year and have been wanting to try it, but my hubby doesn’t eat tomatoes. Glad I got the excuse to make this, even if I was eating it all by myself. It reminded me of warm bruchetta – the crunch of the bread and Parmesan with the wonderful basil and tomatoes. Another great one from Ina!

Note: I did edit the dish to serve 2 instead of 6, and used slightly less tomatoes than called for (reflected below).

Scalloped Tomatoes

Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • olive oil
  • 3/4 c. dense bread cut into 1/2-inch diced (I used day old French bread with crust but Ina calls for a French boulle without the crust)
  • 4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • scant 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • scant 1/4 c. julienned basil leaves
  • scant 1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes and stir to coat, drizzling a little more olive oil if needed. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring periodically, until cubes are evenly browned. Then add tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper, stirring to combine. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil.

Pour tomatoes into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and drizzle with 2 tsp. olive oil. Bake 30-40 minutes until top is browned and tomatoes are bubbling.

Couscous & Grilled Veggie Salad

One of the great things about summer are the BBQs and all the time outside. Almost every week, a bunch of us would head to the park with all sorts of goodies to grill on the park’s charcoal grill. We’ play volleyball or soccer, watch the kids on the playground, and maybe go for a walk or go kayaking. Then, we’d crank up the grill and enjoy lunch or dinner in the sun.

This salad is the perfect accompaniment to a summer BBQ. It can be made up to 3 days a head of time and served warm or at room temperature. Add as much fresh herbs you’d like – I loved it with lots of fresh basil.

Couscous & Grilled Veggie Salad

Adapted from Fine Cooking #73 (p. 59)

Serves 10-12

Ingredients for the Vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 c. red-wine vinegar
  • 1/8 c. chopped black olives
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the Salad:

  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch strips
  • 3 small carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 2 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1 small bunch scallions, trimmed

Ingredients for the Couscous:

  • 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1-3/4 c. uncooked couscous
  • 2+ Tbs. chopped fresh basil (or mint, parsley, or a mix)
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • lemon juice, to taste

Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, 1 Tbs. of the olives, mustard, and olive oil. Whisk in the remaining olives. Season to taste with pepper.

Grill the vegetables: Heat grill on medium-high heat. Brush veggies with oil and season with salt. Grill until veggies are marked and tender, turning as needed. The zucchini, peppers and scallions with be ready first, the eggplant second (be sure to make sure it’s still a bit crunchy), and the carrots last. Let cool slightly.

Put together the salad: Bring 2 c. water, oil add salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Chop veggies into 3/4-inch pieces. Toss with half of the vinaigrette.

Fluff couscous and toss with veggies, remaining vinaigrette and fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or at room temperature.