Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad with Wild Chicory and Toasted Pecans

Our Wild Chicory has formed beautiful rosettes over the last month thanks to the chilly weather.  The name is misleading as this chicory is grown from seeds purchased from Nichols, and cannot be found growing wild anywhere here in Houston.  We started the seeds directly in the garden in August with a second round planted in October.    Despite the name, this chicory is very well behaved and we now have two thick rows of gorgeous greens.  Wild chicory is a wonderful salad green with its big leaves and mildly bitter taste.  We're not sure if it's commercially grown, so if you aren't cultivating wild chicory at home and can't find it at market, try arugula, escarole, dandelion greens or endive for this salad.  We combine the chicory with another of our favorite winter vegetables, Brussels sprouts.

Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad with Wild Chicory and Toasted Pecans
serves 2 as an entree

Ingredients

Dressing

3             Tbs            olive oil
1             Tbs             white wine vinegar
                                  sea salt and black pepper to taste

Salad

1              lb              Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
                                 olive oil, sea salt and black pepper
1/2           cup            pecans
1/2           Tbs            butter
1/4            tsp            salt
2               cups          wild chicory
                                  (or however much you like)
1/8            cup           Grana Padano Stravecchio cheese, shredded
                                  or Parmesan, shredded

Procedure

1. Combine dressing ingredients, whisk well, and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.  Spread pecans on sheet pan and bake until fragrant and a few shades darker, about 10 minutes.  Toss immediately in a bowl with butter and salt until nuts are well coated.
3. Preheat oven to 425°.  Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil to coat, then season with salt and pepper.  Spread on a sheet pan, cut side down, until soft and browned, about 15 minutes.
4. Trim chicory, then toss with the salad dressing.  Top with Brussels sprouts and pecans, then sprinkle cheese on top.
5. Serve while sprouts are still warm, or at room temperature. 

• If you like this salad, try our Brussels Sprout Salad with Marcona Almonds and Manchego Cheese
• Read more about Italian chicories in the garden and try our recipe for Focaccia with Chicory, Fingerling Potatoes, Rosemary, Gorgonzola Dulce and Pine Nuts

Flatbread with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Walnuts and Shaved Parmesan

Another flatbread idea using walnuts, here surrounded by plump Brussels sprouts and gorgeous slices of parmesan cheese.  The Brussels sprouts are sauteed in brown butter before loading them onto the dough.  They're so tasty that any extra that you can't cram onto the flatbread make a perfect side dish.

Flatbread with Brussels Sprouts, Walnuts and Shaved Parmesan

Ingredients

1               ball                  flatbread dough
12             oz                    Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1/2            cup                  walnuts
1               oz                    parmesan, shaved with a peeler
1               cup                  vegetable stock
1                                       lemon
2               Tbs                  butter
                                         olive oil
                                         sea salt and black pepper
                                         bread flour for dusting

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 325° and toast walnuts until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside.
2. Raise temperature to 500­° to heat oven and pizza stone.
3. Heat butter in saute pan over medium until browned.
4. Add Brussels sprouts and saute briefly, about 1 minute.
5. Add stock, toasted walnuts, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until just tender.
6. Roll out dough on well-floured surface (after letting it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes).  Lighlty brush all over with olive oil, then add a layer of shaved parmesan.  Top with Brussels sprouts mixture, then another layer of shaved parmesan (make a decorative pattern if you're so inclined).  Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.
7. Bake until done, about 5 minutes.  Watch closely to prevent the walnuts from burning.

If you like this recipe, check ot our other flatbread recipes in the series:

• Flatbread with Gorgonzola Dulce, Grapes and Walnuts
• Flatbread with Roasted Golden Beets, Goat Cheese and Chestnut Honey
• Flatbread with French Sorrel, Roasted Cauliflower and Crumbled Goat Cheese

And coming soon:

• Flatbread with Broccoli Rabe and Manchego
• Flatbread with Chickpeas, Tomato and Feta

Brussels Sprout Salad with Manchego Cheese and Marcona Almonds

Peel off Brussels sprout leaves and lightly blanch them to create the perfect winter salad green.  With marcona almonds, dried blueberries and cranberries, and manchego cheese, this salad makes a gorgeous side dish or a filling meal.

Brussels Sprout Salad with Manchego Cheese and Marcona Almonds
serves 2 as an entree


Ingredients


Salad
1         pound          Brussels sprouts
1         Tbs              dried cranberries
1         Tbs              dried blueberries
2         Tbs              whole Marcona almonds
1         oz                Manchego cheese, shaved using a peeler
Dressing
3         Tbs              olive oil
1         Tbs              white wine vinegar
                               sea salt and black pepper to taste


Procedure

Dressing

1. Whisk together all ingredients and set aside.
   

Salad

1. Peel leaves off the Brussels sprouts, discarding the core.  Blanch leaves until barely tender, but still bright green.  Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and dry.
2. Toss Brussels leaves with the cranberries, blueberries, and almonds.  Very lightly coat with dressing (there may be some extra dressing).
3. Plate and top with cheese shavings. 
4. Eat immediately.

Brussels Sprout Salad with Manchego and Marcona Almonds made the Foodbuzz Top 9 today! The Foodbuzz Top 9 is a photo-driven collection of top-buzzed posts within the Foodbuzz community.  Congratulations again, and thanks for being a part of Foodbuzz! 
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Lemony Pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Summery lemon-infused pasta is given an autumn twist with roasted Brussels sprouts.  Brussels sprouts are a member of the brassica family which includes cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.  All brassicas need cool temperatures, something in short supply in Houston this year.  Brussels sprouts are the most challenging brassica to grow here because good, hard frosts are required to develop their flavor.  Our seedlings are in the ground, but with temperatures lingering n the 70's at the end of November, a meaningful harvest is far from certain.   

Lemony Pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2   lb              Brussels sprouts
12        oz            dried spaghetti
                            juice of 3 - 4 lemons
1         cup           olive oil
1 1/2   cup           aged Romano cheese, grated
                           sea salt and black pepper
1          tsp           lemon zest

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Trim brussels sprouts and cut each in half.
3. Toss sprouts in 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.
4. Spread brussels sprouts, cut side down, on a baking sheet.
5. Bake in top third of oven until blackened on top and soft.
6. Remove from oven and set aside.
7. Cook pasta in salted water, then drain.
8. Combine lemon juice with 2/3 cup olive oil.  Than add the cheese and mix until thick and creamy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Combine pasta, Brussels sprouts and lemon sauce and toss well to coat.  Top with lemon zest and additional grated Romano.