Thai Braised Brussels Sprouts

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm feeling ready for cooler temperatures (I know I'll regret these words come February). Maybe it has to do with the fact that we got our fireplace fixed last week. When Eric and I moved in, we'd gotten it inspected and everything looked good, except there were a few areas that needed to be patched up. It all seemed to be more work (and costly) than we'd wanted, so we decided to hold off. But then we got a quote from someone and decided that after this last winter, we'd better get it fixed so we can enjoy roaring fires and bourbon. Lots and lots of bourbon.

I mentioned in my last post that we were going to Le Bernardin. Well, that happened over the weekend and, well, somehow the experience exceeded my expectations. It's rare that I get to enjoy a meal that's totally pescatarian (usually there's some bacon or beefiness that's thrown into the mix that I just ignore), so it was a real treat. Despite the cost of the meal, I wouldn't hesitate going back. Every dish, the service, the wine... the whole thing was so remarkable. And I only took one picture! I know... shocking.

So, let's move on to these Brussels sprouts. These were marked down months ago when Eric and I were at a restaurant in Provincetown and we were at a bar that served a version of them. They were fried and spicy and, therefore, totally wonderful. I immediately got to work on my recipe and sat there with him, going over all the things I'd add to them when I prepared them at home. Well, that was in August and I'm just getting to it now. These are not traditional by any means but the nice thing about cabbage is that it holds up pretty well to strong flavors.

Thai Braised Brussels Sprouts

Servings Serves 4

Ingredients
1lb Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 scallions chopped, light and dark green parts only
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon chili paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, chili paste, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil over high heat in a sautee pan that has a lid. Add Brussels sprouts to the pan cut side down and cook until browned, approximately 3-4 minutes. Once they've brown, stir in chopped scallion. Pour the dressing over the Brussels sprouts, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook for 6 more minutes.

3. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Silent Sunday: Sportello (Boston, MA)

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Sportello 348 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 (617) 737-1234http://sportelloboston.com/

Sweet and Smoky Red Kale and Grape Salad

We're getting down to our last few weeks of enjoying the Cape house. It's hard to believe that we're so close to shutting things down. We won't be there these next few weekends as we have other things going on, but we definitely have a couple more days to enjoy it this fall. As much as I love the summer weather, this is some of the best time to spend on the Cape. The tourists have left and things are generally more relaxed. It's warm enough to hang outside for a bit, but at night we can bundle up by a roaring fire.

One of the weekends we have coming up is a trip to New York. Earlier this year, my parents got us tickets to see Fun Home for our anniversary. We decided on a matinee so that we'd have our night open. It's rare that we spend a night in New York, so I decided to try my hand at getting reservations at Le Bernardin, one of my bucket list restaurants. On September 1st, I called to see what we could get. Dial. Busy. Again... dial, busy. Again... and again. And again. After 40 minutes and over a hundred attempts, I finally got through. 5:30 or 10. Those were our options. I went with 5:30. Seeing that we're doing the tasting menu, I expect we'll be there for at least three hours. Then we'll have the night to walk around and check out some bars. Or we'll roll ourselves to bed and pass out at 9 o'clock.

So, let's see here. Where to begin with this salad? I went back and forth a bit about what direction I wanted to go with this. I had thought about adding all sorts of things to it, like broiled shrimp or quinoa or avocado, but when it came down to it I just wanted to provide something that could stand on its own or, if one felt so inclined could also add their other favorite toppings. This is not a salad that is lacking flavor. It's sweet, salty, smoky, creamy. It will leave your mouth tingly, but in the best possible way (thank you Chipotle Tabasco!).

Red Kale and Grape Salad | A Thought For Food

Red Kale and Grape Salad | A Thought For Food

Red Kale and Grape Salad | A Thought For Food

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Tabasco. Over the course of the year, I've created recipes featuring the Tabasco Family of Flavors. All opinions expressed on my site are my own.

You can check out my recap from my trip to visiting Tabasco here and my recipes for Smokey Shrimp Burgers, a Watermelon Shrub Spritzer, and Charred Corn and Mango Salsa.

Red Kale and Grape Salad

Servings
Approximately 6 as a side, 4 as an entree (with additional toppings)

Ingredients
1 medium bunch red kale,stems removed and leaves torn into 2" pieces
1 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 teaspoons Chipotle Tabasco
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup roasted pistachios, shelled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Make the dressing by whisking together the sour cream, lemon juice, Chipotle Tabasco, brown sugar, and salt.

2. Pour dressing over kale and toss to coat. Add grapes.

3. Transfer to serving bowl and top with chopped pistachios.

Note: To turn it into an entree, top with shrimp, chicken, avocado, and/or quinoa.