Brussels Sprouts! I'm Back, Baby!
Monday was an In-Service day at work, and after training (How to Lovingly Deal with the Difficult Child, Lovingly) my co-workers and I were gabbing about recipes. Fave Teacher Tanya starts describing how she went to one website for a recipe, "And I had to read through this woman talking, talking, talking about her day, what was in her pantry, what she had made previously, how she was feeling, blah, blah, blah before I could finally get to the recipe! I don't need your life story! Just show me the recipe at the beginning and, then, when I'm cooking, I'll read the rest!"
"Hmm," I thought. Bloggers do enjoy their story time.
And then I'm driving Older home from school, and he's all excited because he found a recipe for making those ridiculously soft sugar cookies that are sold at the grocery stores, the ones that change the frosting color for each holiday. And he starts yelling, "If you're not going to show me the recipe, then I won't visit your website!"
"Hmm," I think again.
Here at Bustle and Vim, we are flexible with the Blogger Recipe narrative. Behold:
But after clicking on the above link, which is at the beginning, please read the rest of the my post. It's a good story. Truly.
So, many of you know of my Epic Struggle with the Brussels Sprouts. And how that struggle ended in defeat. Sure, I roasted a few more sprouts, but not with the intention that anyone in my family would eat them. I tried heating the pan in the oven for 10 minutes before adding the sprouts, I tried making some Asian sauces. Every time, I ended up with charred bits of mushy veg. And the house smelled like a cabbage had farted in my kitchen. My friend, Photographer Lauren, patted me on the shoulder, "If y'all didn't like the sprouts with bacon, maybe they're just not for you."
Oh, Steamed Broccoli, you knew I would be back.
Fast Forward to New Year's Eve; we are hosting supper for friends. Husband is making Prime Rib ($3.99 a pound at the HEB!!!! Thank you, Tanya, for alerting me to this meat wonder), and I am making Scalloped Potatoes* and Popovers. I need a veggie dish, and I come across this recipe from Kind Rebecca for Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Truffle Oil.
I had completely forgotten about this recipe's existence! But I do remember really liking this when Rebecca made it.
So, with no expectation for the rest of my family, I make this.
Can I tell you that I experienced a real 1958 Housewife/Marvelous Mrs. Maisel/Bodacious Bustle moment? Everything, I mean, ALL THE FOOD CAME TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME! Gentle Readers, this sort of thing does not happen to me. This is why all my dinner parties depend upon my guests bringing the various dishes to round out the one or two provisions I'm making. My guests are such a good natured bunch.
I'm feeling all warm and glow-y about this 19 years-in-the-making homemaker achievement when, out of nowhere, Younger remarks, "Mom, if you made Brussels Sprouts like this all the time, I would eat them."
I might have dropped my fork with a dramatic clang and danced around the dining room doing what is now known as The Brussels Sprouts Boogie.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS! I AM YOUR QUEEN! BOW BEFORE ME! BOOYAH!
Now, just in case you are having trouble with the recipe link, or you couldn't possibly ever even consider clicking on a recipe before reading my entire story, here it is:
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Truffle Oil
1 pound fresh Brussels Sprouts, stems trimmed
2 tsp pressed garlic
½ tsp coarse salt, plus additional
3 Tbl butter
Freshly ground pepper
2 tsp white truffle oil (or truffle infused olive oil at HEB)
¼ cup almond slivers, toasted
Fit a food processor with a slicing blade. With the motor running, drop Brussels Sprouts down the feed tube, using the hopper to push sprouts through to ensure better slices. You can also use a mandolin or a sharp knife.
In a small bowl, mash the garlic and salt together to form a paste.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat until warm. Add the butter and garlic paste; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the sliced sprouts to the skillet and toss gently until coated with the butter. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until sprouts are bright green and slightly browned. Rebecca likes to leave the sprouts to brown for several seconds, up to a minute then stir then leave alone, then stir… to allow for some fine brown caramelization.
Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the almonds, toss. Then drizzle with truffle oil and toss again.
Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle a little more truffle oil over the top and serve.
Voila!
So, a few notes:
Younger suggested adding bacon; of course he did. And I did add chopped, cooked bacon the next week, and it was delicious. Of course it was. That was the first time Older Son tried this dish, and he agreed that this was indeed a Victory for Team Bustle.
I also added dried cranberries, and that was a yummy addition, as well.
Cheers to 2019 and Victory in one's quests!
*Scalloped Potatoes. When I first found out I was pregnant with Older, Vim had a special dinner party for us, and she made the most divine Scalloped Potatoes. When I asked how she made them, she told me she got the recipe from Cooking Light. Seriously??? "Yes," Vim said, "But I doubled the amount of cream and cheese the recipe called for; I think next time I'll triple it."
