Sprouts, Shoots, and Leaves

Sprouts
Ah, much maligned, oft served badly Brussels sprouts. They are the butt of many a food joke and an easy target for food threats (as in, if you pull your sister's hair you will eat only Brussels sprouts for the rest of your life!) But done well, cooked properly, served with elan there is very little in the vegetable world that is as delicious. If you think you don't like Brussels sprouts, I beg you to try them again. But, again, I beg you DO NOT boil them or even steam them. Roast them. Saute them. Pan-sear them. Grill them. Pan-braise them. Do not make them watery, mushy, or soft. Don't even think about buying the canned ones and bypass the frozen. But do cook and eat them fresh (unless you are one of the small percentage of the population who actually cannot digest them - and you would know if you are one). Try one of the following delicious ways to cook the sprouts.

Simple Roasted Sprouts

Remove the outer (tough or bug-bitten) leaves. Cut off any woody ends. Halve the sprouts then toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the sprouts. Sprinkle all over with coarse Kosher salt and black pepper. Put on a baking sheet and roast in a hot (425) oven. After about 10 minutes, toss on pan and roast for another 10. Take out when they are starting to brown and the edges and outer leaves look crisp. Serve hot or room temperature. Make sure to serve any leaves that fall off and brown in the cooking process - a friend of mine calls these sprout chips and makes as many as possible on purpose. Delish.
Variations: toss with Italian or sesame ginger dressing instead of olive oil; add 1-2 cloves finely minced garlic before roasting; add 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar with the oil; don't use salt, use a pinch of brown sugar instead; sprinkle with red chile flakes before cooking.

Shoots
On to pea shoots. This spring delight is back as a fall treat. This recipe takes a little effort but is totally worth it.

Green Pea Ravioli with Pea Shoots in Brown Butter

1 cup green peas (you can use frozen or fresh - DO NOT use canned)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese or crumbled firm tofu
1 clove garlic
1/4" piece of fresh garlic
1 tsp olive oil
pinch of salt
1 package wonton skins
pea shoots (as many as you have)
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cider vinegar

for ravioli filling:
Peel the garlic. Using a spoon peel the ginger. Put the peas, ricotta or tofu, garlic, olive oil, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Grate the ginger on a microplane grater (or the smallest holes of a regular grater) into the bowl. Process until a uniform paste is formed.
to make ravioli:
Into the middle of each wonton wrapper place a small dollop of the pea filling. Wet the edges of the wrapper and fold into a triangle or rectangle, depending on your preference. Press firmly to seal then set aside until they are all ready.
to cook everything:
When the ravioli are all ready bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Gently drop the ravioli into the pot and cook until they float. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on a plate or bowl. Meanwhile, clean and trim pea shoots. Lightly blanch in salted water (quickly drop into boiling water then remove and cool immediately in cold water then drain well.)
for brown butter:
In a small sauce pot melt the butter. Cook it on medium until it just starts to brown. Watch this carefully, you want it brown and nutty but it goes from brown to burned very quickly. When it is brown, add in sugar, salt, and vinegar. Simmer until everything is melted and mixed. Toss all the ravioli and pea shoots in the brown butter. Serve hot. Ummmmmm. Really worth it.

Leaves
Again, we welcome the return of leafy greens as the fall crops are harvested. But as the days and evenings are cooler and our thoughts turn to soups and stews instead of cold salads it is good to remember that these greens cook up nicely, too. Try this easy one pot dinner for a cold day.

Chicken-in-the-pot with Greens and Apples

1 whole cut-up chicken
4 small or 2 large onions
1-2 green apples
4 cups rough chopped greens (braising greens, kale, chard, spinach)
1 bottle or can beer
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 tsp olive oil

Remove skin from chicken. Peel, core, and slice apples and peel and slice onions. In a large pot heat the oil then toss in the onions and apples. Cook for a minute or two then add in the greens and beer. Top with the chicken pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so until the chicken is cooked through. You can hold this hot on low until you eat. Serve in a bowl with crusty bread for dipping.