Thanksgiving side dish recipes : Jersey City
Long gone are the days of smelly, grey boiled sprouts. It is truly one of the most underrated vegetables with a misplaced bad reputation. Here’s some simple recipes for how to get everybody at your table to eat and ENJOY sprouts! Whether this is going to adorn your Thanksgiving table or simply something to add to your repertoire of inventive ways with vegetables, these recipes will certainly not disappoint.
Sprouts roasted with garlic and fresh pomegranate –
When slowly cooked and caramelized, brussel sprouts are transformed into a sweet, delicious side dish. The pungent garlic is also transformed into a smooth, sweet, velvety ingredient once roasted, that balances extremely well with the sprouts. Top it all off with zesty, sweet-yet-tart pomegranate seeds and earthy toasted pecans and this dish will be an instant crowd pleaser with a real autumnal feel.
Serves 4
1 pint brussel sprouts (approx. 1lb)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to coat bottom of pan
5 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
About 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 medium red onion cut into 1cm thick rounds
¾ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
¾ cup lightly toasted pecan nuts, roughly chopped
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Heat oven to 400. Trim bottom of brussel sprouts, slice each in half vertically. Heat oil in cast-iron pan (or other oven proof stir fry pan) over medium heat until it very hot but not burning; put sprouts cut side down in one layer in pan. Put in garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until sprouts begin to brown on bottom (about 10 minutes), transfer dish to the oven. Roast, shaking pan every so often, until sprouts golden and tender, about 10-15 minutes.
While the sprouts are roasting, slowly pan fry the red onions with little bit of olive oil over a medium-low heat until they are soft and caramelized. This will take about 10-15 minutes, stir frequently, don’t over heat or the onions will burn. Once onions are soft, golden and sweet, remove from heat.
Combine the onions and sprouts into one dish, taste, add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in balsamic vinegar, sprinkle over pomegranate seeds, pecans and freshly chopped parsley, serve hot or room temperature.
Sprouts with crispy pancetta
The sweet and salty combination of the pancetta and sundried tomatoes really elevates these sprouts to another level. This is ready in less than 20 minutes so can easily make it into a mid-week dinner, by serving it on top of piping hot creamy mashed potatoes or pasta.
Serves 4
1 pint brussel sprouts, sliced thinly length wise
3 oz of chopped pancetta or lardons
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to coat bottom of pan
½ red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons roughly chopped jarred sun dried tomatoes
Handful roughly chopped parsley
Place pancetta in sauté pan over medium heat, sweat them out until they are golden and crisp. Remove meat and reserve rendered fat to sauté the sprouts. Once lightly browned, add onions and sauté for addition 5-8 minutes on medium heat until onions are soft and caramelized. Turn heat down to low/medium, add garlic, sundried tomatoes and crispy pancetta. Sauté for another couple of minutes until garlic is soft. Remove from heat, stir in fresh parsley and season to taste.
This is a great accompaniment to a pork chop or piece of chicken. You can make this into a vegetarian dinner by omitting pancetta and stirring sprout mixture into a bowl of freshly cooked pasta, drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and top with grated pecorino.
Make sure to also check – how to transform beets into a beautiful dinner table dish worthy of entertaining.
