Six Seasons
Page 26
Trimming. If you bought sprouts still on the stalk—which is a remarkable sight—cut them away with a sharp knife. When you buy them already liberated, the cut end is usually dried out, so trim that off. Peel off any outer leaves that are bug bitten, yellow, or otherwise the worse for wear. For roasting, cut in half. For braising, halve them, put them cut side down, and cut through the core into ¼-inch-wide slices. For salads, use the same process but slice them as thinly as you can.
Go hot or go raw. Like other brassicas, sprouts take well to high-heat methods like roasting or sautéing, which caramelize their sugars and make them irresistible. But when I want to eat them raw—and yes, there are still plenty of green things to eat raw even in fall—I slice the sprouts very fine into a slaw or salad. It’s time-consuming, but worth it.
Raw Brussels Sprouts with Lemon, Anchovy, Walnuts, and Pecorino
I love this salad—it’s like a very citrusy version of a Caesar salad, but of course with incredibly nutritious Brussels sprouts. The early-season sprouts, which are compact with tender outer leaves, shaved thin, are perfect for eating raw. Do take your time slicing them—either with a mandoline or a sharp knife—to get them absolutely as thin as possible.
» Serves 2
½ pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
4 or 5 anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
Extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup hazelnuts or walnut halves and pieces, lightly toasted
½ lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
Pecorino Romano cheese, for grating
If you have a mandoline, now’s the time to use it to get very thinly sliced Brussels sprouts. But if you’re using a knife, here’s how you’ll do it: Trim off the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts if they look dry. Cut each one in half lengthwise through the core, and then put a half, cut side down, on a cutting board. Using a nice sharp knife, slice as thin as you can from the core to the top. Repeat with the rest. This step will take you some time, but it’s worth the effort, because the salad is best when the sprouts are almost “shaved.” Don’t worry about getting the slices a consistent thickness—just go for thin! Pile the shaved sprouts into a large bowl.
Chop the anchovies very fine and smear them into a paste. Chop the garlic as fine as you can, and drizzle with just a bit of olive oil to keep the garlic from oxidizing. Chop or smash the nuts so that some pieces are small and some are coarser.
Squeeze the lemon half onto the sprouts and toss to distribute. Add the anchovy and garlic (including the oil that was drizzled on the garlic) and toss well to fully distribute—the best way to do this is to massage everything with your hands. Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. This salad likes a lot of pepper, but you may not need quite as much salt because the anchovies and cheese are both salty.
Pour in a healthy glug of olive oil and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Add the nuts and breadcrumbs and toss again. Arrange on plates or a platter. Grate lots of pecorino over the top and serve.
The fluffy texture of shaved Brussels sprouts is worth the work.
Brussels Sprouts with Pickled Carrots, Walnuts, Cilantro, and Citrus Vinaigrette
Serve this dish warm or at room temperature, but not cold. If you make it ahead, pull it out of the fridge 20 minutes before you serve it. Make it a full meal by folding in some toasted cooked Farro. The citrus vinaigrette will easily keep for 2 weeks in the fridge.
» Serves 2 to 3
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
¾ pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
About ⅓ cup roughly chopped or slivered pickled carrots, store-bought or homemade
½ cup walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans lightly toasted and smashed or roughly chopped
1 bunch scallions, trimmed (including ½ inch off the green tops), thinly sliced
¼ cup Citrus Vinaigrette
½ cup lightly packed roughly chopped cilantro leaves
½ cup lightly packed roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ¼ cup olive oil and the garlic and cook to toast the garlic so it’s very soft, fragrant, and nicely golden brown—but not burnt—about 5 minutes. Scoop out the garlic and set it aside (to prevent it from burning while you’re cooking the sprouts).
Increase the heat a bit and add the Brussels sprouts, cut side down. Season well with salt and pepper and cook gently until the sprouts are tender all the way through, but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat midway if the sprouts are getting too brown. Return the garlic to the pan, crushing it to break it up and disperse among the sprouts.
When the sprouts are cooked, pull the pan from the heat and add the pickled carrots, half the nuts, and all the scallions and toss thoroughly to mix and warm the new ingredients slightly.
Spoon the vinaigrette over the sprouts and toss again. Add half each the cilantro and parsley and toss again. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or vinaigrette so the salad is very vibrant.
Right before serving, add a little more vinaigrette if you like, along with the rest of the nuts, cilantro, and parsley. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
At the market At farmers’ markets, you’ll often see Brussels sprouts still attached to their stalk. It’s dramatic looking (and I’ve even seen a stalk roasted and served whole), but they’re not any better on the stalk, and now you’re stuck composting a cumbersome bit of brassica.
Gratin of Brussels Sprouts, Gruyère, and Prosciutto
This dish takes its cue from the classic Brussels sprouts–and-bacon combo, and it is addictive. You’ll probably find yourself eating leftovers, cold, standing up in the kitchen . . . quite happy and not willing to share.
» Serves 4
1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 medium onion (6 to 8 ounces), cut into small chunks
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
1 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
¼ pound Gruyère cheese, grated
¼ cup dried breadcrumbs (optional)
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Put the Brussels sprouts and onion chunks into a large bowl, drizzle in a glug of olive oil, season with ½ teaspoon salt and many twists of pepper, and toss to distribute the oil.
Spread over a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the sprouts are mostly tender but still have a bit of resistance when you poke them with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)
Transfer the vegetables to a gratin or baking dish that’s large enough to hold the sprouts in mostly a single layer. Sprinkle the prosciutto around the vegetables, pour the cream over everything, and top with the Gruyère.
Bake until the cheese and cream are bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Top with the breadcrumbs (if using). Let cool for about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Vinaigrette
Wednesday night and you’re not sure what’s for dinner? This is. Roast up a bunch of sprouts, season with this meaty dressing—or any other vinaigrette or even simple oil and vinegar—and you have a substantial side dish without much work. Serve over a mound of wild rice, or next to some pork tenderloin medallions.
» Serves 4
1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, and cut through the core into quarters
Extra-virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons chopped thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup Pancetta Vinaigrette
Heat the oven t
o 425°F.
Toss the sprouts with a healthy glug of olive oil and the thyme in a medium bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread out the sprouts evenly on two rimmed baking sheets. Roast until the sprouts are tender but not mushy, 20 to 22 minutes, stirring the sprouts once or twice during roasting. Note that any loose leaves will get browned and even slightly charred—delicious!
Slide the sprouts into a medium bowl, add the vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Taste and adjust any seasoning with more salt or pepper.
Carrots (Late Season)
As with other root vegetables that we meet early in the spring (see young carrots) and then again in the fall, carrots are bigger, firmer, denser, and occasionally woodier by the time autumn rolls around. But they’re very, very sweet, with less of the piney-lemony flavor of young spring specimens.
Forget the tops and the skins. What a late-season carrot does not have are greens. Carrot tops are only good, in my opinion, early in the season when they are still quite delicate and very moist and fresh. And their skins are tougher, too, so in most cases, I peel fall carrots.
Mature yes, old no. You’ll still find a colorful array of carrots later in the season, though orange predominates. Whatever the color, be sure it’s bright, not faded. The carrots should be firm, not flabby, with no splits or cracks. Fall carrots are mature, but you don’t want them to be old.
Fall carrots are also large carrots. These big boys are good for grating, cutting into chunks, pureeing, and definitely roasting. While a young spring carrot is about tender, bright sweetness, a carrot that has seen some serious time underground—especially some cold nights—is about deep, mellow sweetness. It’s a very rooty character.
Farro and Roasted Carrot Salad with Apricots, Pistachios, and Whipped Ricotta
The combination of the nutty farro, carrots, apricots, and ricotta makes this dish savory-sweet—almost carrot cakey. You can swap out the apricots for dates, dried cherries, or a combination of both. Take your time to toast the farro until it’s deeply flavored.
» Serves 4
½ pound carrots, trimmed, peeled, and cut into small chunks
Extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon dried chile flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked Farro
4 ounces dried apricots (preferably Turkish), roughly chopped
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ large red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup pistachios, lightly toasted
Whipped Ricotta
½ cup crumbled ricotta salata or feta cheese
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Toss the carrots with a small glug of olive oil, the chile flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few twists of black pepper. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet and roast until tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Pile the roasted carrots, farro, and apricots into a bowl. Season with the vinegar and toss. Taste and add more salt or chile flakes. Add the parsley, onion, and pistachios and toss. Taste again and adjust with more salt, chile flakes, or vinegar. Finish by tossing with ¼ cup olive oil.
Spread the whipped ricotta onto 4 plates or a platter in a nice schmear. Distribute the salad on top of the whipped ricotta, dress with the crumbled ricotta salata, finish with another tiny thread of olive oil, and serve.
Grated Carrot Salad with Grilled Scallions, Walnuts, and Burrata
Fall carrots are dense and sweet, thanks to the cool nights, and mature carrots’ large size makes them easy to grate. Don’t be put off by the anchovy in this dish—it works so well with the grilled scallion and the burrata. In fact, this could be the dish that helps you understand why people love anchovies so much.
» Serves 4
2 bunches scallions (about 16), trimmed (including ½ inch off the green tops)
¾ pound carrots (a mix of colors will be lovely), trimmed and peeled
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped so that some are quite fine and some are still chunky
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
½ cup lightly packed very roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 ball burrata or very fresh mozzarella
Heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat (or heat a grill). Cut the scallions into lengths that will fit into the skillet, or leave whole if you’re grilling them. Char or grill the scallions—dry, no oil—turning them frequently, until they are blackened on the outer layer and very soft and collapsed and juicy inside, 8 to 10 minutes. Chop the scallions into ½-inch pieces and set aside.
As the scallions are cooking, prep the carrots by grating them on the large holes of a box grater or shredding them using a mandoline or other appliance. You can also cut them into julienne by hand, but the finer, the better, because the seasonings will penetrate more deeply into carrots cut to a finer gauge.
Put the carrots in a bowl and add the scallions, walnuts, anchovies, parsley, lemon juice, chile flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and about 20 twists of black pepper. Toss well and let the salad sit for a few minutes so the seasonings can marry and the salt can draw out a bit of the carrot juices.
Toss again, taste, and dial in the flavors so they are really lively by adding more of any of them. Pour in ¼ cup olive oil and toss. Taste again, then distribute on your plates or a platter.
Pull the burrata or mozzarella into shreds or little blobs and distribute it over the salad. Drizzle on a bit more oil to finish and serve.
Burnt Carrots with Honey, Black Pepper, Butter, and Almonds
Roasting carrots concentrates their already sweet flavor, and roasting them so dark that they burn a bit adds a bitter edge that is fantastic, especially when balanced by the butter and honey. You can add fresh herbs, if you like. A little fresh thyme or winter savory would be an excellent partner.
» Serves 4
1½ pounds carrots, trimmed and peeled, but left whole
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup almonds, toasted) and chopped
Heat the oven to 475°F.
Spread the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle on a tablespoon or so of oil, and roll the carrots to coat them. Roast until they are very dark brown, even a bit burnt on the edges, but not fully tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (Leave the oven on but reduce the temperature to 300°F.)
When the carrots are cool enough to handle, cut them on a sharp angle into ½-inch-thick slices and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar, season with salt and lots of pepper, and toss to coat. Let the carrots sit for 5 minutes to absorb the vinegar.
Spread them out on the baking sheet again, distribute the butter bits on top, and drizzle the honey over all. Roast until they are fully tender and the butter and honey are making a lovely mess, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape everything into a serving bowl, taste, and adjust with more vinegar, salt, or pepper. Top with the almonds. Serve warm.
Carrot Pie in a Pecan Crust
I eat a lot of carrots—by themselves, pickled, in salads, grilled, in cake—and so why not in a pie? The pie has a soft, delicate texture reminiscent of a pumpkin pie (though the slices won’t hold their shape as well as pumpkin pie), but it’s distinctly carrot and deliberately not too sweet. The pecan crust adds a touch of richness.
» Make one 9-inch pie (serves 6 to 8)
2 pounds carrots (about 6 large), trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks
Kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1½ cups heavy cream or crème fraîche
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
Pecan Dough
Put the carrots in a large saucepan, cover with water, add 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to boil. Adjust the heat to a gentle boil and cook until the carrots are thoroughly tender, 20 to 35 minutes, depending on the age and shape of your carrots. Drain well and transfer to a blender.
Put the sugar and ¼ cup water into the saucepan, stir to moisten the sugar, and cook over medium-high heat, without stirring but with a few swirls of the pan, until the sugar syrup has turned a dark amber and smells very caramel-y, 5 to 6 minutes. Be careful because this caramel is very hot.
Carefully add ¼ cup cream—things may get quite spattery—and whisk until the caramel is smooth. Add the butter and a pinch more salt. Pour the caramel sauce into the blender with the carrots. Add the remaining 1¼ cups cream, the whole eggs (which you’ve cracked one at a time into a separate bowl, just in case any shell gets in them), and egg yolk. Blend on high until the filling is really smooth. Set aside until your pie shell is ready.
Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pecan dough to a 14-inch round. Roll it gently around your rolling pin, move it over a 9-inch pie plate, and gently unroll it into position, allowing it to drape into the corners without stretching. Tuck the excess pastry under itself to make a neat thicker edge. Using two fingers of one hand and one finger of the other hand, work your way around the edge to flute it. Chill the pie shell for 30 minutes in the freezer or 1 hour in the refrigerator.