mmmm yes please.

[moominmolly]

Simple food that has made my life better this week:

* A costco-sized bag of smoked salmon at work, with a sippy cup of lemon juice and some fresh dill for garnish
* Sauerkraut made by rising_moon and dreda with meat CSA hot dogs
* Raspberries by the quart with Natalie
* Some crazy marinated greens that ceelove made from our backyard, at a picnic IN our backyard

Also in recent memory: local tomatoes that were out of this world even in June, buffalo mozarella with 'em, half a round of Saint Andre on crackers, sneaking in sushi in stolen time before a movie with dilletante, spinach salad with steak on top, all the sweet carrots I can get my hands on.

I make a bad vegetarian but a very very good me.

I see the farmers markets starting up and I want to ask: what's been good for you?

Comments

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Oh! Highland Kitchen + yagagriswold mentioning roasting vegetables = I should try to make HK's buffalo brussels sprouts with fresh sprouts this summer!

Also, man, that chicken looks good.

[cutieperson]

oh, yes, and you should invite me to help eat them! the folks i go there with have had no interest in trying them. so sad.

that chicken is what i made for dinner last night. chillguru helped with the wiping it off and cooking it through and then i took over the sauce bit. which meant that in 30-40mins we had rice, red chard, and the chicken. i am always surprised at how quickly full, delicious meals can come together.

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Oh they are sooooo good. Brussels sprouts, halved and perfectly roasted, and then deep fried and served with buffalo sauce. Hands down my favorite thing on their menu.

[reesei.livejournal.com]

Elaborate! How do you perfectly roast your brussels sprouts? The very first time I roasted brussels sprouts they were amazing. I have never managed to repeat this, and I don't know what I am doing wrong. Help!

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness, I don't know how. I've done it right sometimes and not others. Highland Kitchen is the place that gets it right every time. Perhaps I should ask!

At any rate, trying it in the toaster oven is less daunting, and I can try smaller batches.

[reesei.livejournal.com]

Oh, darn, I misinterpreted and thought you did it yourself! It's so hard to get the balance between the crispy outside and that perfectly roasted soft inside...

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

I have never managed to roast brussels sprouts so that they come out as well as they do when I just pan fry them in butter or bacon fat, perhaps with a few minced shallots, and top them with pepper and a little lemon juice and parmesan.

You cut them in half and put them cut side down in the pan and don't stir them much so that they get a lovely almost-burnt caramelization.

[reesei.livejournal.com]

I will try this next time! Are you aiming for a long and slow frying, or higher heat shorter time? Or some combination?

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

Medium heat - it doesn't take very long, especially if you cover it so the tops cook as well.

[reesei.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

It changed Mr. E's whole outlook on brussels sprouts! I am very proud. :)

[harimad.livejournal.com]

This.

Works for me on the stove and in the oven. Preheat the pan, preheat the fat, flavor the fat (I like salt, garlic, maybe powdered cheese). Meanwhile cut sprouts in have along longest axis so to get maximum roasting surface. Toss sprouts in fat, lay them cut side down, let them get brown and imbued with fat.

For creamy inside and browned outside, try experimenting with first boiling or steaming the sprouts till half-done, then roasting.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

I do this but keep the caramelization slow and avoid the crispy by adding stock when it is the color I want on the cut side but not the tenderness I want all through.

[harimad.livejournal.com]

{adopts that idea for next time}

[cutieperson]

also, roasted veggies in the toaster oven seems brilliant.