Geez it looks like we kind of forgot to share with you the past couple weeks.  What kind of friends are we?!   A whirlwind basically spiraled through my life recently.  Not in a bad way.  I just haven’t been able to get it together.  I have mountains of recipes sitting on my desk, a hard-drive full of unedited photos, and then there was tax time.  It is too bad as I remember some pretty darn good meals being cooked over at Chez Us.

Remember when we mentioned a few weeks ago that there were going to be some big changes happening within the next month?  Huge news!  No …. not that!  Lenny decided to get a physical as it had been forever and he was having some “guy issues”.  No;  NOT THAT!  Instead, he has high cholesterol.  And we are talking about the big bad, not so good, high cholesterol.  A whopping 275!  He We have decided that we are going to try to control it with diet and exercise.  We are both firm believers that the two go hand-in-hand, and can help a lot of issues that are going on within our bodies.  Heck, I went through premature menopause using no drugs at all.  Hopefully, this will work for him as well.

We feel that we eat pretty well.  We watch what we cook with, not a lot of fat or creamy sauces.  We always have fresh fruits and veggies around the house.  We aren’t snackers.  Okay, we do occasionally indulge in gooey sweetness;  but, not that often.  This will definitely be a challenge for both of us.  I am going to reinvent the way I cook, and Lenny is going to learn to not “devour”.  The doctor sent him home with a great list of foods that he should eat, and ones that he should limit.  Using this list, we are going to reinvent some deliciousness, and create a whole new line-up of heart healthy recipes to share with you, our friends.

Lenny is the love of my life, and my focus as the main “cook” in the house is to to use low-saturated fats and low cholesterol foods.  I want him to live a very long time.  I figure the easiest way to do this is to bump up our fresh produce intact and to introduce some new but exciting grains into our diet.  Lenny has decided that he will give up dairy, which is challenging as he does love his coffee with a little milk.  Now we are exploring new alternatives for coffee.  As well, I am going to start exploring some lean meats and some good-for-you fatty fish recipes.  There will be lots of fresh herbs and the exploration of unsaturated oils and tangy vinegars as a means for making our recipes a little more exciting.  Sound fun?

Since we work from home, I am always on the out-look for recipes that are great as a lunch or that can be taken into dinner.  This farro and roasted broccolini does just that.  Farro is a debated food product;  is it a grain or a wheat?  In Italy spelt is also called faro.  Barley and faro are often interchanged here in the states.  I would probably say it is a cousin to barley.  It is healthy!  I love cooking with it as it puffs up but still holds a little crunch.  It will be perfect in summery salads;  don’t you think?

For this dish, I cooked the farro just until it was cooked, then I cooled it off (immediately) with cold water. While the farro was cooking I roasted some veggies;  roasting adds great depth and added flavor.  Have you tried roasted green garlic?  After patting the farro dry, I tossed it with the roasted mixture of broccolini, tomatoes, green garlic, spring-time red onions, fresh mint, and drizzled it with a creamy lemony dressing.  To add a little more crunch, I sprinkled crushed pistachios over the top.  I enjoyed this salad for lunch and took it to dinner by adding a lean roasted piece of fish along side it.  Saying it was delicious would be an understatement.  It was more like WOW!

**  while we are changing our eating habits with new heart-healthy meals, never fear, there are a few gooey things that will be showing up within the next couple weeks.  All planned before this announcement.  Remember, you can enjoy in moderation.  *smiles*

Recipe:  Farro and Roasted Broccolini Salad

• 1 cup dry farro
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• olive oil
• 1 pound broccolini, tough stems removed
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 green garlic stalk
• 1 spring red onion or a small red onion
• 1/2 cup mint, minced
• 1 small lemon, juice
• 1/4 cup good-quality olive oil
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup crushed pistachios

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Barley, Broccolini, Farro, Heart Healthy, Salad, vegetarian

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Now that, we are working from home, full-time, I am constantly thinking about quick and easy nibbles for during the day.  I don’t want to spend more than an hour, preparing and eating lunch, when I am busy at my desk.  This recipe is perfect as we can even nibble at our desks while working.

We have been in Brussels Sprouts heaven the past couple weeks as OceanMist recently surprised us with a package box full of fresh Brussels Sprouts to work on some new recipes.  Lucky for you this is only one of the new recipes that I will be sharing over the course of the next couple weeks.  I love how quick and easy this recipe comes together to make a light lunch/snack or even a great side dish;  we also enjoyed it with a roasted chicken.

When we were both kids, on separate coasts, we were not fans of the Brussels Sprouts.  We are pretty sure it was because they were boiled or steamed until pasty green.  As adults, we love them!  Not only are sprouts little bites of fun, they are also very good for us.  Brussels Sprouts are a member of the cruciferous family, and they contain large amounts of antioxidants, vitamin C and beta-carotene;  they have even been found to help reduce the risk of certain cancers.  The nice thing, they can be found year-round, so eat up!!

Recipe:  Crispy Brussels Sprouts

• 1 pound of Brussels Sprouts, cut into wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt
• fresh cracked black pepper

Recipe:  Black Garlic Aioli

* you can use regular garlic as well, just reduce to 2 cloves.  You can read more about black garlic here.

• 3 aged black garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt

**  normally I make aioli in a mortar or whisking by hand – when I need it quickly I use the food processor.

A few other recipes that we have been enjoying the last couple weeks are some old favorites:

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Duck Fat Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts Salad

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Aged Black Garlic, Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Ailoi, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack, Vegetable

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On Valentine’s Day we received a surprise bouquet of endive from Discover Endive.  It was a welcome surprise as we have never received such a delicious bouquet.

Normally when we eat endive it is in the form of a salad.  And we are not picky, we love both green and red, equally.  I love how crisp they are and when mixed with a little blue cheese and sugary balsamic it is near perfection.  Or with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh lemon juice.  Another favorite is slices of endive, with pecans, smokey pieces of pancetta, spring red onions and a blood orange dressing.  Since we had this gorgeous bouquet, I decided to venture beyond a couple salads.  Though we did enjoy a few of them.  *smile*

I wish the photo of this gratin came out as well as the dish did.   I used a mixture of green and red endives.  It was crisp but creamy with the bechamel and Gruyere cheese.  The pancetta added the right amount of salt.  It was really great served along side a roasted tri-trip.  I have a feeling this will be a regular side dish with roasted meats.

Enjoy!

Recipe:  Endive Gratin

• 4 endive, washed, dried and cut into circles
• 6 slices pancetta, diced
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup Gruyere, grated

Heat oven to 325.  Butter individual baking dishes or one large one.  In a large saucepan heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat.  Add the pancetta, stir, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.  Add the shallot, stir and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic, stir and cook for one minute.  Remove the ingredients and set aside in a bowl.  To the same saucepan (do not clean) add the flour.  Keep the heat at a low temperature and whisk.  The flour will start to come together to form a paste.  Add a little of the milk at a time and keep whisking until smooth.  Add rest of the milk, whisk the entire time and keep the heat low.  Cook until thick, about 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  In a mixing bowl add the endive slices, and pancetta mixture, stir to combine.  Put the mixture into a buttered baking dish.  Pour the bechamel (milk and flour mixture) over the top of the grating.  Sprinkle the cheese over the top.  Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: California Endive, Endive, Gratin, Side Dish

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Gratins are my fall back on side-dish when I don’t have anything else to serve with roasted meat.  I always have a few potatoes, as well as sweet potatoes in the pantry, just in case, I need something to eat for lunch, or a thicker for a soup or stew or a weekend hash.  A few other staples in our kitchen are good butter, heavy cream and rosemary. Guarantee you will always find these three items lurking somewhere.

I have to admit I am a potato kind of girl, and if I could eat them every day, I would.  I grew up eating them, and I will die eating them.  One of my favorite food-related childhood memories is potato gratin.  Steaming hot, bubbly with richness, and slightly mashed potatoes.  God, I loved it!

Normally I made gratins with a rich bechamel;  which is another favorite of mine.  This take on a classic recipe, is a bit healthier, or at least that is what I am telling myself.  Instead of making a dreamy bechamel, I literally poured the heavy cream over the layered sweet potatoes, and then sprinkled a little white cheddar over the top.  It still came out steaming hot and bubbly;  just a little healthier this time.

HAVE YOU ENTERED OUR GIVEAWAY?  IT IS DELICIOUS!

Recipe:  Sweet Potato Gratin

• 1 sweet potato, peeled
• 1 medium russet, peeled
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, crushed between finger tips
• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• 1/4 cup white cheddar, grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

© Denise for Chez Us, 2012. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Gratin, Heavy Cream, Potato, Rosemary, Russet Potato, Sweet Potato, White Cheddar

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It seems time flew by the past couple months with buying the house, moving, going to Austin (I still have so much to share about that), and some last minute projects that fell on the table, have left us literally in a blur.  We keep talking about how we have not even had a chance to enjoy the new house.  To put up blinds, or smear some paint on the walls.  To set-up the studio space.  To buy that dining room table, and bring our loved ones around it.  We have hopes, and dreams about the holidays in our house,  and they are all centered around giving and sharing.  Just hoping we get a chance to do so this year …..

I did manage to work on a couple recipes that I want to serve over Thanksgiving.  I am getting away easy this year as all I have to make is a traditional Basque dish that involves clams, and lots of them, and this side dish made with the token Thanksgiving veggie, the brussel sprout.  I have a love hate relationship with brussel sprouts, and I am sure it has to do with being force feed them as a kid.  The other evening I ordered a pork dish, mainly because it was served with a brussel sprout gratin, that completely intrigued me.  It was amazing, and I knew I had to recreate it once we got home.

It is easy, and requires only a few ingredients, such as the sprouts, some shallots, a little bacon, cream and Parmesan cheese.  See, I told you it would be easy.  I love the dish as the sprouts are flash cooked to retain their gorgeous color, and crisp bite.  The addition of salty bacon, and nutty Parmesan makes them even more delicious.  So, what are you waiting for?  You have time … run out and grab the ingredients, and then thank me later!

If you don’t like to cook or you don’t have the time, check out Wholefoods;  they are still accepting orders for an amazing Thanksgiving dinner.  We had a chance to sample one a couple weeks ago, and it was fresh, flavorful, and very seasonal.

We wish you and your loved ones the warmest Thanksgiving;  be safe, and do eat that extra serving of turkey!

Recipe:  Brussel Sprout Gratin

• 2 pounds brussel sprouts, cut in half
• 6 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• kosher salt, to taste
• fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 350, and butter a baking dish.  Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.  While the water is boiling, cook the bacon over low heat, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon from the pan of drippings, and set aside on a paper towel.  Drain off all of the bacon drippings except for 1 tablespoon.  Add the shallot, and cook over low heat, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool.  Once the water is boiling, add the brussel sprouts, and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain into a colander, and immediately cool down with very cold water.  Set aside and let drain.  Pour the cream over the cooled shallot mixture.  Pat the brussel sprouts dry with paper towels.  In a large mixing bowl, add the sprouts, shallot/bacon mixture, and the cheese.  Stir.  Pour into the buttered dish.  Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly, and lightly brown on top.  Serve.  Eat.

I wish I had time to make all of these delicious dishes this Thanksgiving, but I don’t.  Maybe you have the time?  

• My fellow Key Ingredient Colleagues are developing some yummy recipes
• Cranberry Vanilla Gin Cocktail
• Duck Fat Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Pumpkin Pot de Creme
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Cider Roasted Carrots
• Sweet Potato Gratin
• Leek Gratin
• Green Beans with Blue Cheese
• Crispy Potatoes
• Stilton Tart with Cranberry Chutney
• Rectangular Pumpkin Pie
• Orange and Ginger Cranberry Sauce
• Apple Cider Cream Pie
• Pumpkin Soup with Buttered Chanterelles
• Golden Pumpkin Spice Rolls
• Maple Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Salad
• Pear Cranberry Walnut Bread

© Denise for Chez Us, 2011. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bacon, Brussels Sprouts, Cream, Gratin, Parmesan Cheese, Side Dish, Thanksgiving, Vegetable

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Labor Day is really the last weekend of summer.  Kids are back in school.  Vacations are over.  Time to start settling in for a long winter.  For most of us it is the last weekend of grilling.  I know we will be getting in our fair share of charred meat and icy cold bevies this weekend.

I was thinking of sharing a new favorite cocktail with everyone this weekend;  but, then I thought again, back to this recipe.  I want you ALL to make this dish for the long weekend.  Full of beans, salty pork, spicy Chipotle, ripe peaches and sultry rye.  This baked bean recipe has depth;  not over sugary or salty, just full of flavor.  Don’t be afraid of the peaches in the BBQ Sauce, it is not fruity at all, it was used more as a natural sugar.  Trust us, you will love it.

Have a great weekend & be safe!

Do you have a favorite Baked Bean recipe?  If so, what do you consider to be the secret ingredient?

Recipe:  Baked Beans

• 4 cups dried pinto beans – will make about 8 cups after soaking
• 1/2 pound salt pork, small dice
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• salt, to taste
• 1 recipe of Peach and Rye BBQ Sauce

In a large stock pot cover the beans with cold water. Set aside to soak for 24 hours. After 24 hours, drain the beans. Put back into dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a very low simmer. Cook until the beans are tender; about 4 – 5 hours. Drain, reserving about a cup of liquid. In the same dutch oven, add the diced salt pork and minced onion, over low heat cook until the onion is soft; about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, to distribute the goodness. Add the BBQ sauce, stir, cover with a lid and bake in a 325 oven for 4 hours. Stir occasionally. Season with salt to taste. Serve. Eat.

If you like this recipe, check these out:

Baked Beans

Beer Baked White Beans 

© Denise for Chez Us, 2011. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Baked Beans, BBQ, Beans, Chipotle, Homemade, Labor Day, Peaches, Recipe, Rye, Sauce, Weekend

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Recipe:  Roasted Carrots

What you need:

© Denise for Chez Us, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Carrots, Recipe, roasted, Side Dish, Vegetables

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Recipe:  Roasted Cabbage

© Denise for Chez Us, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cabbage, Recipe, roasted, Side Dish, Vegetables

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I was sitting around the other day, tossing around some ideas for new and exciting dishes.  Dishes that were new but still good old stand-bys.  You know the kind …. old favorites!  One of the first dishes that came to mind was my friend James’ twice baked potatoes.  I have not had them in years but I remember them fondly.  He would never share the recipe, saying it was a secret.  Even though, I watched him make them once or twice, I could never figure out that secret ingredient.  They were plump, cheesy and full of bacon and green onions;  but, there was something different about this tater.

I can’t say we eat very many baked potatoes around our house, which is a shame.  We eat potatoes but usually in different forms;  soup, fried in duck fat, as salad, gently boiled, you get the idea.  We also love to eat sweet potatoes but not the sweet kind.  They have to be savory.  I needed something new and tasty (and gluten free) to serve with a pork roast so I decided to try to create James’ famous twice baked potato using a sweet potato.

First I baked the potatoes in a bed of kosher salt.  I became a fan of baking my potatoes in kosher salt a few years ago.  It creates a nice crisp skin and very moist flesh as well the flavor is really outstanding without being over salty.  After I baked the potatoes, I scooped out their bright orange flesh and mixed it with some fried pancetta, sauteed green onions, a little butter and sour cream and a handful of freshly grated gouda.  After re-baking the stuffed potato skins until warm, I topped each one with a slight dollop of chipotle sour cream.  The spicy cream was a great companion to the salty pancetta and nutty gouda.  It was a party in our mouths!!  This is perfect with a roasted pork roast or a grilled steak, yet, it is filling enough to stand on it’s own.

What is your favorite twice baked potato recipe?

Recipe:  Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Cream

3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean, dried and small holes pricked throughout
1 box kosher salt
3 slices pancetta, diced
3 green onions, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sour cream
kosher salt to taste
gouda parrano uniekaas, grated, handful

Heat oven to 400.  Line a deep baking dish with foil.  Fill with about half way  full.  Bury the potatoes in the salt, cover with the remaining salt.  Bake until soft inside, about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on size of the potatoes.  While the potatoes are cooking, cook the pancetta until golden.  Add the green onions, stir and cook for about 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside.  Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven.  Let cool about 10 minutes.  Slice in half. Gently remove the flesh, leaving a slight lining as to not go through the skin of the potato.  Put the flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash with a fork.  Add the pancetta mixture, butter and teaspoon of sour cream, stir until mixed.  Season with salt.  Stuff the skins with the mixture of sweet potatoes.  Put the stuffed sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet covered with kosher salt (I used salt from the first baking) and slide into a 350 oven and cook until warmed throughout, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for a couple minutes.  Top with a spoonful of chipotle cream.  Serve.  Eat.

Recipe: Chipotle Cream

1/4 cup sour cream, full fat
3 teaspoons chipotle powder

Mix in a small bowl, let set at room temperature until time to serve potatoes.

If you enjoyed this dish, you may enjoy these others as well:

Judis Bistro Twice Baked Potatoes

Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes

© Denise for Chez Us, 2010. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chipotle, Gluten Free, Green Onions, Pancetta, Potato, Recipe, Sour Cream, Sweet Potato, Twice Baked

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Remember those beautiful chanterelles we received?  Well we had two fairly good sized ones left, which left us with the delemma of what to make.  We both love grilled steaks with mushrooms … need we say more!

The chanterelles are so flavorful that they really do not need too much added to them.  I sauteed them simply with olive oil, thyme, a little shallot, garlic and then finished it off with butter.  Perfect companion for these beautiful grass-fed steaks!

These chanterelles would also be lovely on a piece of toasted baguette.

Recipe:  Sauteed Chanterelles

2 medium sized chanterelles, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon butter

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium frying pan.  Add the shallot and garlic, give a stir and cook for about 3minutes, to soften.  Add chanterelles.  Stir.  Lower heat and cook until soft and golden, about 15 minutes.  Stir on and off during this process.  Add thyme and butter, stir.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2010. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chanterelle, Dinner, Easy Dinner, Mushroom, Recipe, Steak, Vegetables

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Organic brown rice is simmered to perfection with green onions, olive oil and grated carrots, then lightly scented with warm bahart, served with simply roasted cauliflower for an easy midweek dinner or a great side for a roasted meal inspired meal.

We are down to bare bones at our house, it is definitely time to hit the market again.  I only had a few ingredients to work with cauliflower, rice (thanks to Gudrun, for snagging me a big bag of Massa Orangics Brown Rice at Blogher – been dying to try their rice), some random staple veggies and spices.  Usually when I have cauliflower around, I end up steaming it or turning it into soup – this was not exciting at all.  As well, we are not big rice fans as we find it rather boring, but these were my ingredients to use – feel like a “Chopped Episode”.

I decided I would saute some green onions with garlic and then lightly brown the rice before adding the water.  While it was simmering, I rummaged through my spices and decided to go with a middle eastern inspired meal, by adding Baharat.  Baharat?  Some of you may be wondering what that is, others know exactly what I am talking about.   Baharat, in Arabic, means spices.  It is a mixture of spices that is used in Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, Iraqi, Israeli and Palestinian as well as in Turkish and Iranian dishes.   Typical ingredients of Baharat include:  allspice, black peppercorns, cardamon, cassia, cloves, coriander, cumin, nutmeg and dried red chilies or paprika.   While the rice was simmering away (and did it smell great or what), I roasted the cauliflower with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle  of sea salt.  By the time the rice was finished, the cauliflower was roasted to a nice golden color.  I seasoned the rice with a little grey salt and a sprinkle more of the baharat.  The caramelized cauliflower was the perfect companion to the warm comforting rice – the baharat added such a pleasant aroma and taste to the entire dish.

Recipe:  Baharat Scented Rice

2 green onions, sliced thinly

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup brown rice

2 cups water

1 teaspoon baharat

1/2 carrot, grated

kosher salt to taste

Heat olive oil in a saucepan, over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic, give a couple stirs and then add the rice.  Stir a few times until the rice is lightly golden.  Add the water and baharat, bring down to a simmer, cover and let cook for about 45 – 50 minutes.  10 minutes before it is finished stir in the carrot and season with salt.  Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Serve.  Eat.

Recipe:  Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, stem removed and washed, pat dry

drizzle of olive oil

sprinkle of sea salt

Heat oven to 425.  Slice cauliflower and lay in a roasting pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprikle with salt.  Put into oven and roast for about 45 minutes, until golden, cooked but slightly crunchy, unless you prefer a softer vegtable, then cook longer.  Remove from oven.  Serve.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Baharat, Brown Rice, Cauliflower, Dinner, Easy Dinner, Massa Organics, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Food, Recipe, Rice, Risotto & Rice, Vegetables

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Brussels sprouts and shallots are slowly roasted in duck fat until caramelized to bring out the natural sugars and flavors.

We both dislike Brussels sprouts;  yes, we are haters!  Which may seem odd since I am posting a recipe for just that.  Recently we were at the Foodbuzz awards dinner and one of the dishes was Brussels sprouts.  I have to admit I was not happy to see this on the menu, how was I going to gag these down at a dinner party?  I was pleasantly surprised that they were amazingly ….. amazing.  In fact, I loved them;  slightly crispy with that nice golden color of being roasted.  Unfortunately, I still was not convinced nor did I ever plan on attempting to put a Brussels sprout on the table!  Then I saw a few different posts floating around about the “Brussels sprout”.

While Allison was showing me around the farmer’s market a couple weeks ago, I asked her about her Brussels sprout dish.  She said she was inspired by the same Brussels sprout at Foodbuzz and that her dish was really good.  This convinced me (as well as the duck fat addition) to give them another try.  Last weekend we had a little pre-Thanksgiving dinner with my family and I decided I would spring this Brussels sprout dish on them.  I did end up changing Allison’s dish somewhat, only because there was a whole lotta cranberries already happening on our table.  I left out the almonds and cranberries and added caramelized shallots instead.  The result …. delicious!  Everyone loved them, even my 2 year old nephew, who kept saying “more”.    Keep in mind this recipe is for an army of eaters, so you can half it if need be.

Recipe:  Duck Fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts

*inspired by Local Lemons

4 pounds Brussels sprouts

8 oz duck fat

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

kosher salt, to taste

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 450.  Slowly melt all of the duck fat, except for 2 tablespoons, in a saucepan.  Remove outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts, keep the ones that do not have any blemishes.  Cut off and throw out the bottom of each Brussels sprout, and cut them in half.  Lay in a roasting pan and drizzle the melted duck fat over the top.  Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper.  Roast for about 30 minutes until golden brown and caramelized.  Gently stir the sprouts about 15 minute into the roasting.  While the sprouts are roasting, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of duck fat in a frying pan.  Thinly slice the outer leaves that you saved.  Add the shallots to the duck fat and slowly cook, over low heat, until lightly crisped.  Add the outer leaves and give a quick stir, just to coat the leaves, about 30 seconds.  Remove from heat.  Before serving stir the shallots/outer leaf mixture into the roasted Brussels sprouts.  Serve.  Eat.

© Denise for Chez Us, 2009. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Brussels Sprouts, Dinner, Duck Fat, Kid Friendly, Recipe, Roasted Vegetables, Shallot, Side Dish

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