Make these delicious Brussels sprouts with a sherry wine reduction in less than thirty minutes! After spending most of the past century on the most hated vegetable list, Brussels sprouts have finally earned the culinary respect they so deserve.

These little green sprouts can be found on restaurant menus and in gourmet cookbooks as a delicious roasted or fried side dish. A common misstep is to boil or steam the sprouts. I find these methods always produce an unpleasant texture. By quickly roasting the sprouts at a high temperature, you’ll get a delicious char on the outside and perfectly cooked and still firm inside.

To flavor the roasted sprouts, cook sliced onion in a sherry wide reduction. You’ll find that the sweet earthiness of sherry perfectly compliments the saltiness of the Brussels sprouts. The resulting dish makes a delicious and sophisticated side for any meal.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Sherry Wine Reduction

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts
¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup sherry wine

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Slice off the very tip of the stem of each Brussels sprout and cut in half lengthwise. In a bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with ½ the olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a small nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions, a pinch of salt and cook for 5-10 minutes. Stir frequently until the onions start to burn. Add the sherry to the pan and continue cooking and stirring for another 5 minutes until the alcohol has burned off. Transfer the Brussels to a serving plate and top with the onions and pan juices.

Related on Eco Salon

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Rethinking Brussels Sprouts

Caramelized Onion and Smoked Gouda Panini

Photos by Ally Jane Grossan

The post Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe with a Sherry Wine Reduction appeared first on EcoSalon.

The tomato comes out of the garden and into a sauce.

One of the best things about summer are the variety of fresh tomatoes that are available at the food markets right now. My favorite tomato is the local Beefsteak tomato. The may look ugly but the taste is rich and flavorful.

I can’t get enough of them so I eat tomatoes almost every day, preferably with just a simple vinaigrette on a slice of homemade sourdough bread topped with mozzarella. The tomatoes are also great in a watermelon salad with feta cheese. Another of my recent favorites is a tomato salad with red onions, celery and middle eastern string cheese. The string cheese is often spiced with black cumin (Nigella sativa) which gives this pleasant cheese an interesting flavor.

As an appetizer, a fresh tomato salsa, spiced with cilantro, chili and garlic is never wrong. If I’m starving and too lazy in the summer heat I turn pretty much the same thing into a cool tomato sauce for pasta.

Fresh Tomato Sauce
(serves two persons)

2 large tomatoes
½ red onion
Fresh chili pepper (amount depends on how spicy you want it)
Plenty of chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar*
3 tablespoons olive oil
A dash of lime juice
One teaspoon mustard
Salt & pepper
Honey (optional)

Topping (suggestions)
Freshly grated Parmesan
Toasted sunflower seeds

Wash the tomatoes and chop them into smaller pieces. Chop the onion and the chili (adjust the strength to your own liking) into tiny tiny bits and pieces. Rinse the basil and chop the leaves roughly. Place all the prepared ingredients in a bowl and squeeze in 1-2 garlic cloves.
Mix together vinegar, olive oil and mustard. Season with lime juice, salt & pepper. If you like you can also add some honey to the dressing but if you are using a sweeter mustard that may not be necessary. Serve this cold tomato sauce on your favorite pasta topped with freshly grated parmesan and toasted sunflower seeds.
Enjoy!

* It works perfectly well with other kinds of vinegar such as balsamic, apple cider or white whine vinegar.

Illustrated Recipe by Johanna Kindvall

The post Recipe: Fresh and Summery Tomato Pasta appeared first on EcoSalon.