Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that everyone loves to hate.  My parents never really made them when I was a kid, so I just never really even tried them until recently.  I always thought they were like little cabbages, and I don't really care for cabbage.  But I've been on a bit of a Brussels sprout kick lately.  I love them now.  I probably wouldn't love them if they were just a boiled mushy pile with a pat of butter on top, but braised Brussels sprouts are delicious.  Try them...you'll want to eat a whole bowl.

This recipe is from Orangette.  I'm always amazed at how simple and delicious her recipes are.  Who knew Brussels sprouts with a little cream, butter, and salt would end up being something that I would gladly push steak aside for to eat more of.  The butter and cream obviously make these not the healthiest dish ever, but I made these tonight with light cream and while not quite the same, they were still delicious.  I'll go for the light cream again to cut the guilt a bit since I'm sure these will be added into our regular side dish rotation from now on.

Also, totally dumb side note...I just realized that these are called Brussels sprouts, not Brussel sprouts as I had been typing.  I wondered why my spellcheck kept telling me it was wrong.  Durr.

Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts
From Orangette

1 1/4 lbs. of Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, and cut into quarters
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp lemon juice (I omitted this since the husband isn't a huge citrus fan)

1.  Melt butter in non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add quartered Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring/flipping occasionally until edges of sprouts are a bit charred.  This part is kind of fun, the Brussels sprouts pop like popcorn in the pan while cooking!

2. Turn the heat down to low, add cream to pan, stir, and cover.  Simmer about 10-15 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts cooked through but still a bit firm.  I prefer mine not to be too soft, if you like them that way, cook them longer.

3. Uncover and add lemon juice.  Stir and simmer a minute longer until the sauce has thickened.


Also, I totally forgot to take a picture of the final product because we were very excited for dinner, so instead I leave a photo of the super cute container the sprouts came in.

Hello, Mr. Sprout!

Kosher Dill Pickles

I finally got around to making some pickles with some cucumbers and dill from the farmer's market a few weeks ago. I wasn't sure what recipe to use, either a vinegar based one or kosher salt brine based. I went with the kosher pickles and it was super easy and totally worth it. These pickles are perfectly crisp and salty. Hopefully I can get some more cucumbers before the farmer's market is over for the season this month.

Kosher Dill Pickles
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Ingredients:
1/3 cup kosher salt
1 cup boiling water
2 pounds pickling cucumbers, quartered lengthwise
5-10 crushed garlic cloves, depending on your taste
1 large bunch of fresh dill, stems removed, roughly chopped
1 tbsp pickling spice

Instructions:
1. Boil water, add to salt in a large bowl, stir to dissolve salt. Add some ice cubes to cool the mixture.

2. Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl.

3. Add enough cold water to cover the cucumbers. Take a plate smaller than the circumference of the bowl and another object to weigh it down and keep the cucumbers under the water.

4. Let cucumbers sit at room temperature 3-4 hours at room temperature then put in sealed containers (mason jars or tupperware) in the refrigerator. The pickles will keep for 1-2 weeks.