Brussels sprouts...Little Cabbages

Little cabbages - that's what I used to call Brussels sprouts. To my child's eyes that is what they looked like. To my adult eyes, that is still what they look like.  Brussels sprouts and cabbages are different plants, but part of the same family. Guess I wasn't too far off.

Until recently, Brussels sprouts were not readily seen. Maybe only grandma was eating them. Lately, they are everywhere. The internet has tons of recipes for Brussels sprouts. You would think we discovered Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts are believed to have been cultivated in Italy during Roman times.  Brussels sprouts that we are familiar with were first cultivated in Belgium as early as 1587 and were introduced in the US in the 1800s. Okay, so we didn't discover Brussels sprouts, but we can still enjoy them.

I like Brussels sprouts. (If you like them, it's okay. You can admit it.) My love of Brussels sprouts has me looking for new recipes. For this posting, I found recipe on the California Almond Board and changed it to make it more Midwestern. Below is my version. But please feel free to try the recipe as the almond board intended it. My goal is that everyone eats good food. Use a recipe as a starting point. Changing it to fit your taste is perfectly fine.
 
Brussels sprouts Salad

Serves 8.
 
Ingredients:
12 ounces Brussels sprouts
½ cup slivered almonds
1 large firm pear
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup seedless red grapes, halved
⅓ cup dried cranberries

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1½ Tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Wash Brussels sprouts. Remove damaged outer leaves. Slice Brussels sprouts very thinly. Set aside.

2. Toast almonds in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside.

3. Wash and chop the pear. In a large bowl, combine pear, onion, and grapes. Set aside.

4. In a large saucepan, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Add Brussels sprouts and cook for about 2 minutes. Add cranberries during the last 30 seconds. Drain. Add cold water to cool. Drain thoroughly. Add to pear mixture along with the almonds.

5. In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Pour over Brussels sprouts. Stir to combine.

A Summer Without Rhubarb!

I write about rhubarb every summer. After all, it is my favorite vegetable.  And why not? You put sugar and butter on it, mix it into cake batter or throw it in a pie crust. You eat it and call it a vegetable! Life is Good!

Every year, I think 'I cannot find another rhubarb recipe'. Just when I think I have come to the end of the rhubarb recipes, low and behold, another recipe pops us.

This year I found a recipe for rhubarb bread. Quite tasty. Check out Discover Seasonal Cooking later this summer for that recipe. It's a real gem.

I also found a recipe for Rhubarb Frangipane Pie. A new recipe - for rhubarb. I was in 'hog heaven'. As it turns out, frangipane is an almond flavored pastry cream. After making the pie, I thought the frangipane would be good with other fruit based desserts. When I looked through my resources, it stated that frangipane is often used with fruit based desserts. Okay, so my idea was not original. That's fine, cooking is about each of us making discoveries in our own time.

Here is my recipe for rhubarb frangipane pie. The original recipe called for a cornmeal crust. I ditched that in favor of a regular crust. You decide.

Rhubarb Frangipane Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie.

Ingredients:

Source: First Prize Pies by Allison Kave and Tina Rupp

⅔ cup slivered almonds, toasted
⅓ cup sugar
6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon vanilla flavor

Rhubarb Filling:
¾ cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ pounds rhubarb, sliced, about 3 cups
Zest of one orange
Egg wash or milk, for glaze
Raw or brown sugar, for garnish

Pie dough, for two crusts

Directions:

1. Frangipane Filling. In a food processor, grind almonds and sugar until the mixture is sandy. Add butter, egg, flour, and vanilla. Process until mixture is smooth. Set aside until ready to assemble the pie.

2. Rhubarb Filling. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the rhubarb and orange zest. Stir mixture to coat the rhubarb.

3. Roll out pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Spread frangipane over the bottom of the crust. Top with rhubarb mixture. Brush edges of pie crust with egg wash or milk.

4. Roll out the second pie crust into an 11-inch circle. Place crust over top of pie. Trim edges of second crust. Press the two crusts together to seal.

5. Brush crust with egg wash or milk. Sprinkle sugar over the top. Cut vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape.

6. Baking the Pie. Preheat oven to 425°F.

7. Place pie on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is set. Remove the pie to cool completely, at least one hour.

Source: First Prize Pies by Allison Kave and Tina Rupp