Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears
This unique flavor combination is accented by salty pistachios.
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 pear, halved and cored
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Place Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then, place pear halves, cut sides-down, on the baking sheet, making sure there is enough oil to coat their cut surfaces.
2. Roast for about 20 minutes, then turn the Brussels sprouts with a metal spatula so that both sides will get caramelized. After another 10 minutes, turn the Brussels sprouts again, also flipping the pear slices. Reduce the oven heat to 375°.
3. Add pistachios to the pan to toast slightly, removing the baking sheet from the oven after 5 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice directly over all the ingredients, then use a spatula to roughly chop pear halves. Toss thoroughly, check for seasoning, and serve warm.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Breadcrumbs
Topped with buttery, golden brown breadcrumbs, these Brussels sprouts are the epitome of comfort food.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed of tough ends, then halved (if large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Grana-style cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Lightly oil a heavy baking sheet. Mound the Brussels sprouts on the sheet pan, drizzle the olive oil over them and toss gently to coat. Arrange the sprouts in a single uncrowded layer.
2. Roast for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking, until the sprouts are tender and lightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add breadcrumbs. Toss to combine and season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Remove the sprouts from the oven, sprinkle the breadcrumbs mixture over them evenly and return them to the oven. Roast for another 6-8 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are toasted and golden. Serve hot.
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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions
This fragrant recipe, also from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters, balances the natural pairing of Brussels sprouts and bacon with fresh onion and thyme.
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 sprigs of thyme
Sea salt
Lemon juice (optional)
Method:
1. Trim away any damaged outer leaves and cut stems from the Brussels sprouts. If the sprouts are very small, cut the sprouts in half; for medium-sized ones, cut into quarters. Cook the sprouts until tender in salted boiling water. Drain well.
2. Heat a heavy sauté pan over high heat and add olive oil and bacon. Cook bacon until rendered and brown, but not crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Add onion and thyme to the fat in the pan. Cook until onion is soft, but not browned. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon (optional).
3. Turn heat down to medium-high, add the drained sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until sprouts are warmed through and starting to brown. Add bacon and toss. Season to taste as needed.
Variations: For a vegetarian option, this dish is also delicious sans bacon, or tossed with chopped fresh thyme. It can also be prepared with Brussels sprout leaves: Cut stem from sprouts and separate the leaves. Thinly slice the compact centers. Do not boil leaves, instead add to onion after it has been cooked and salted. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour in a splash of chicken broth to a depth of about ¼ inch, cover and cook until leaves are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
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Blue Cheese-Stuffed Roasted Pears with Arugula
Roasted and topped with cranberries, hazelnuts and blue cheese, these pears from the Barefoot Contessa are incredibly flavorful.
Ingredients:
3 ripe, but firm, pears
3 ounces Westward Blue cheese
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup apple cider vinegar
Freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons port or dessert wine
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup olive oil
6 ounces arugula greens
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Slice pears lengthwise into halves. With a small sharp paring knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Toss the pears with some lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold the pears snugly.
2. Gently toss the crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation.
3. In the same small bowl, combine the apple cider, port, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the cider mixture, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature.
4. Just before serving, whisk together the olive oil, ¼ cup of lemon juice, and ¼ cup of the basting liquid in a large bowl. Divide the arugula among 6 plates and top each with a pear half. Drizzle each pear with some of the basting liquid, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.
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Roasted Pears with White Balsamic Vinegar
Topped with honey drizzle and creamy goat cheese, these pears are stunning for dessert or atop arugula greens in a tasty winter salad.
Ingredients:
4 red pears, halved and seeded
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
8 tablespoons fresh goat cheese
½ cup honey
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place pat of butter in a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish and melt in oven for 2 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and arrange pears cut side down, single layered. Pop back into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, until pears are just tender. Then, remove and pour vinegar over pears and roast for 7 minutes more.
3. Transfer pears to serving dish, cut side up. Spoon juices over pears from baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on and around pears, then drizzle with honey. Grind fresh black pepper over the top of pears and cheese.
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Honey-Roasted Pear Salad with Thyme-Apple Verjus Vinaigrette
This salad is a stunner!
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
4 ripe but firm Bosc pears (about 2 ½ pounds), halved, cored
¼ cup honey
6 cups mixed spring greens, such as this week’s Wrinkled Crinkled Cress, Claytonia and salad mix
6 ounces blue cheese, sliced or coarsely crumbled
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
Dressing:
â…“ cup apple verjus
â…“ cup olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Method:
1. To prepare the dressing, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Scatter thyme sprigs on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the pear halves cut side down on a work surface. Starting ½ -inch from stem and leaving the pear half intact, cut each lengthwise into scant ⅓- to 1/2 -inch-wide slices. Press pear gently to fan slices; place atop thyme sprigs. Drizzle pears with honey; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until pears are tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand on a baking sheet at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
3. Combine the greens in a large bowl. Add a drizzle dressing and toss to coat, adding more to taste. Divide the salad among plates and place a pear half on top of the greens. Garnish salads with cheese; sprinkle with nuts.
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Roasted Pumpkin & Pear Soup
The classic fall soup gets a delightful new twist with sweet roasted pears.
Ingredients:
1 pumpkin, cut into thick slices
2 ripe pears, peeled and cored
3 Cipollini onions, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Cut pumpkin into thick slices, removing seeds and stringy loose flesh inside. (Reserve seeds for roasting, if desired). Cut the pears in half, peel and core.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the pumpkin and pears on top. Bake in a preheated 375° oven until both the pears and pumpkin are fork tender and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes for the pears and 45 minutes for the pumpkin. Allow to cool and scoop out the pumpkin flesh, keeping 4 cups for the soup and reserving rest for another use. Chop pears coarsely.
3. In a heavy soup pot heat the butter and add the onions. Cook over medium low heat until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown.
4. Add the garlic and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add the pumpkin and pears and about 4 cups of broth. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
5. Blend, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding additional broth if soup is too thick.
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Moscato-Poached Pears
This simple poaching method produces a beautifully-light dessert.
Ingredients:
6 Bosc pears
2 cups Moscato
½ cup honey
1½ cups water
Pinch of salt
Method:
1. Peel pears (optional); cut each in half lengthwise and remove cores (a melon baller works well for this).
2. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add the pear halves, and gently poach the pears until they are just tender. Remove pears to a shallow pan. Reduce the poaching liquid under medium high heat until it is a syrup, and then drizzle over the pears.* You can serve the pears immediately while still warm with a scoop of ice cream and their syrup, or they can also be served at room temperature with a small cookie and a dollop of crème fraîche.
* The pears can also be refrigerated at this point. To serve, the pears can be reheated in their syrup, or served chilled, topped with other fresh fruit and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, crème fraîche or ice cream.
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Prosecco-Poached Pears
This simple poaching method produces a beautifully-light dessert.
Ingredients:
4 Bosc pears
2 cups prosecco
½ cup honey
1 ½ cups water
Pinch of salt
Method:
1. Peel pears (optional); cut each in half lengthwise and remove cores (a melon baller works well for this).
2. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add the pear halves, and gently poach the pears until they are just tender. Remove pears to a shallow pan. Reduce the poaching liquid under medium high heat until it is a syrup, and then drizzle over the pears.* You can serve the pears immediately while still warm with a scoop of ice cream and their syrup, or they can also be served at room temperature with a small cookie and a dollop of crème fraîche.
* The pears can also be refrigerated at this point. To serve, the pears can be reheated in their syrup, or served chilled.
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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Sautéed in chicken broth and tossed with garlic and shallots, these Brussels sprouts pair beautifully with bacon.
Ingredients:
1 pound (about 4-5 cups) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
2 cups Skagit River Ranch bacon ends, chopped into bite-size pieces (as necessary)
1 large shallot, peeled and minced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
¾ cup chicken stock
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and sauté for 5-8 minutes or until bacon begins to brown. Remove pan from heat. Remove the bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan (discard any remaining drippings).
2. Return pan to medium-high heat, and stir in bacon, shallot, and Brussels sprouts; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté for 4 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until the broth mostly evaporates and the sprouts are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in salt and pepper.
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