I decided to try a new take on several vegetables this Thanksgiving, mostly for variety's sake. I never get to eat brussel sprouts here unless I make them for myself, which is really less than satisfying. So with 12 for dinner - most of whom eat the green bombs, I am siezing the moment and making them!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1-1.5 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1-2 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil (something with a neutral flavour - not olive oil)
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
3-4 slices uncooked bacon, chopped into small pieces (I used 1/3c chopped "ready bacon")
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss brussels sprouts with remaining bacon grease, add in 1or 2 tsp oil if needed, then arrange sprouts, cut sides down, in pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Roast, without turning, until outer leaves are tender and very dark brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Right before serving, recrisp the bacon, check the seasonon on the brussel sprouts and serve piping hot.
Roasted Beets with Cumin and Mint
This dish is my simplified version of a recipe I found on Epicurious. For home use, I find some of the restaurant recipes they publish can be simplified quite easily and any intimidation factor virtually removed.
2 bunches fresh beets - I used one red bunch of red beets and 1 bunch of golden beets
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/3 cup fresh mint coarsley chopped
Note: I highly recommend wearing a pair of rubber gloves when working with beets, especially the red variety. Gloves may make the job a little slipperier but your hands will not look like you've been involved in a murder for days and days after.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. To clean beats, cut off beet greens, and then cut off the top and root end of each beet. Either peel the beats with a vegetable peeler, or if they are very young and fresh just wash off any dirt and scrape any thick skin with a pairing knife. Cut beets into quarters or thirds, trying to keep the size of the pieces fairly uniform. Toss beets and olive oil in a cast iron or oven-safe plan, and then sprinkle with cumin seeds. Cook in the oven for approx. 30-40 minutes until beets become fork-tender and the skins are crispy and sweet. Serve as is or toss before serving with coarsley chopped mint. Cilantro also works well. Alternatively, let the beets cool, drizzle with a little honey or agave nectar, toss with cilantro or mint to make an amazing side salad.
The other vegetables we are having are just carrots and parsnips, tosssed around the turkey for the last 1.5 hours of cookinig. Doing some traditional mashed potatoes and also some sweet potatoes with a little cinnamon and butter.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1-1.5 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1-2 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil (something with a neutral flavour - not olive oil)
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
3-4 slices uncooked bacon, chopped into small pieces (I used 1/3c chopped "ready bacon")
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss brussels sprouts with remaining bacon grease, add in 1or 2 tsp oil if needed, then arrange sprouts, cut sides down, in pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Roast, without turning, until outer leaves are tender and very dark brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Right before serving, recrisp the bacon, check the seasonon on the brussel sprouts and serve piping hot.
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| Before roasting in the oven |
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| After roasting |
Roasted Beets with Cumin and Mint
This dish is my simplified version of a recipe I found on Epicurious. For home use, I find some of the restaurant recipes they publish can be simplified quite easily and any intimidation factor virtually removed.
2 bunches fresh beets - I used one red bunch of red beets and 1 bunch of golden beets
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/3 cup fresh mint coarsley chopped
Note: I highly recommend wearing a pair of rubber gloves when working with beets, especially the red variety. Gloves may make the job a little slipperier but your hands will not look like you've been involved in a murder for days and days after.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. To clean beats, cut off beet greens, and then cut off the top and root end of each beet. Either peel the beats with a vegetable peeler, or if they are very young and fresh just wash off any dirt and scrape any thick skin with a pairing knife. Cut beets into quarters or thirds, trying to keep the size of the pieces fairly uniform. Toss beets and olive oil in a cast iron or oven-safe plan, and then sprinkle with cumin seeds. Cook in the oven for approx. 30-40 minutes until beets become fork-tender and the skins are crispy and sweet. Serve as is or toss before serving with coarsley chopped mint. Cilantro also works well. Alternatively, let the beets cool, drizzle with a little honey or agave nectar, toss with cilantro or mint to make an amazing side salad.
The other vegetables we are having are just carrots and parsnips, tosssed around the turkey for the last 1.5 hours of cookinig. Doing some traditional mashed potatoes and also some sweet potatoes with a little cinnamon and butter.
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