Whacking Brussels Sprouts

In San Diego last week I had a fabulous lunch of the world's freshest swordfish accompanied by Flash-Fried Brussels Sprouts.  They were so delicious I vowed to make them as soon as I got home.

Further research revealed that they had most likely been deep-fried, which is something I do not do.  It's a mess, and it makes my missing gall bladder uneasy.  So I decided to fry them in about a quarter inch of canola oil, which worked out fine.  Heat the oil really, really hot and let them get good and brown, even a little crispy around the edges.  Mine took about seven minutes.

It looked like the restaurant ones had been halved and flattened, so I whacked mine with a rubber mallet.  It was fun and provided a nice release.  I think it make them cook faster.  I drained them on paper towels and seasoned them with salt, pepper, and a little ground cumin.

Chotee Gobi (Brussels Sprouts from Eastern India)

This is one of my favorite ways to fancy up Brussels sprouts.

Chotee Gobi

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

Olive or vegetable oil

Slice onion and garlic. Fry in 2 tablespoons oil until soft.

Stir in the following spices and fry for two more minutes.

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Add:

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 to 1 cup yogurt

Juice of 1 large lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon honey

Stir to combine and simmer for a few minutes.

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half

Meanwhile, gently boil the sprouts in water to cover until barely tender. Drain and add to the sauce. Cook and stir for about five minutes until flavors blend.

Christmas Tamales

This year I used my regular pork filling recipe, though I see now I forgot to use onion. It's missing that flavor base, for sure.

For the dough, this year I rendered my own lard instead of buying the sketchy shelf-stable hydrogenated stuff. I just put some chopped up fatback in the crockpot for a day on low; that worked pretty well. The lard was a little softer and meltier than other lard I've encountered, but mild and delicious.

With the tamales we had homemade beans and a sort of ad hoc cole slaw made from brussels sprouts, lime juice, yogurt, olive oil, salt, pepper, and toasted cumin seeds. I made a batch of classic red chile sauce to spoon over the tamales.

After the Open House

We attended a very nice open house party in the neighborhood last night from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. There was lots of wine, a spinach quiche, crostini with tomatoes and cheese, and little quesadillas.

Returning home, we were in a supper quandary--we needed a little more food and drink, but we couldn't exactly start from scratch. We settled on a having a scotch and soda, followed by a light meal of brie, crackers, brussels sprouts with mustard and lemon, eggplant caponata (which I had made for food gifts earlier that day), and some blackberries. It was just right.

I like to make food gifts this time of year. For the end of 2008 I made lemon curd, caponata, chocolate chip cookies, and tomatillo salsa.

Brussels Sprouts Braised in Butter

I've seen a lot of variations on this recipe; this version combines elements of all of them. I made it once before when I lived alone and had only a nonstick skillet. Turns out a non-nonstick pan changes everything -- the brussels sprouts become candylike and perfect. We have a giant Calphalon skillet that barely fit 1.5 pounds of brussels sprout halves, so buy conservatively.

Wash about a pound of brussels sprouts, remove any nasty leaves, and cut them in half lengthwise.

Heat one tablespoon each butter and olive oil in a big, non-nonstick (cast-iron or otherwise) skillet over medium heat.

Saute two thinly sliced cloves of garlic until barely golden, and remove.

Place the brussels sprouts in the pan cut side down. You can pack them in as long as every half has full pan contact.

Sprinkle with salt to taste and a few tablespoons nuts: walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts, or something else.

Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes, until sprouts are quite soft and nicely browned. Move the sprouts to the sides so the nuts can brown lightly (add a teaspoon butter or olive oil if needed). Toss the garlic back in, and add black pepper.

Brussels Sprouts

We've had many beautiful green and leafy things lately, with the fall garden in production and fall vegetables in the markets. This Brussels sprouts recipe modified from one by Jack Bishop is so delicious:

Braised Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup minced onion

Brown the onion in the butter for about 3 minutes. Add:

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved or quartered

1/4 cup evaporated milk or cream

1/4 cup chicken stock

Pinch of salt

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender. Add a little liquid if necessary to keep from sticking. Before serving stir in

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

With these we had barbecued Cornish game hens (first marinated

Portuguese-style in vinegar, garlic, and chile pepper) and roasted new potatoes.