Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Pecans

I have three weird food things.  One, I cannot stomach melons other than watermelon.  They have such a strong flavor that permeates everything around it so that I cannot handle any fruit salad that I don't personally make.  Two, and this is the one I get the most flak for, unless they are sweet or very thin and fried I cannot handle root vegetables.  That means sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, and all things similar are off limits to me.  Every time I make a dessert with pumpkin, I gag when I get the puree out of the can but want to lick the bowl by the time I'm cleaning up.  I get the courage to try savory squash dishes every month or so, but still no dice.  Still disappointing.

And my third thing?  I have extra bitter taste buds.  I'm super sensitive to citrus pith, just a little can ruin a dish for me.  Deep leafy greens need to be dowsed in dressing to make it palatable for me; I'll give my mom that excuse for not eating more kale.  Brussels sprouts had long been a forgotten vegetable because they are particularly bitter to me.  In fact, I wrote a post about the brown sugar, orange juice, and beer simmering sauce for drunk brussels sprouts that can be used to almost mask the flavor!  Won't lie, still kind of hated it despite the incredible sauce.  (Thanks, Dad!)

However, I do believe in trying everything when I'm at a dinner party.  I was at a friend's house recently and she served up a dish of roasted brussels sprouts with apples in them.  I took the "polite" portion, loaded with a lot of apples and only a couple of sprouts.  My first bite took me totally by surprise - I actually like brussels sprouts!

What a revelation!  Honestly, I felt so stupid.  I love everything roasted and have to restrain myself because if left to my own devices every post on this blog would start with the word "roasted."  This dish is a bit of an homage to the first brussels sprouts that I liked, with the apples and nuts.

I cut my sprouts into quarters to give them more surface area to crisp up (and downplay the bitter), paired them with thinly sliced and slightly wilted apples, added a little lemon juice for brightness, and finished with nutmeg to pair with the greens.  The combination of the lemon juice and the residual olive oil from roasting made an easy and flavorful bonus vinaigrette.  Paired with the roast pork, it was the perfect compliment!

My word of advice to you?  If you think you don't like something, keep trying.  It may not work, like me with sweet potatoes, but sometimes you'll surprise yourself!

Cucumber Coleslaw for Foodie Friends Friday

Welcome to my first linky party!  I thought I would bring coleslaw to the party, because who doesn't love coleslaw at a summer party?  Instead of the traditional cabbage mix and mayo, I used shredded cucumbers and bleu cheese.  It is tangy and cooling and a great twist on a barbecue classic.

Lime juice, juice from shredding the cucumbers, and a splash of rice wine vinegar mixed with crumbled bleu cheese mimics the color of traditional coleslaw sauce with its own refreshing flavor.  Crunchy granny smith apple and cucumber with the sweet corn and a touch of honey contrast beautifully with the bleu cheese.  I made it a few years ago and it has been rattling around in my brain for the past few months, just waiting for the fresh corn to come back!

Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Apple Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise

Confession: I have never had rhubarb before today. There was something scary to me about treating something that looked like pink celery without the groove like a fruit. So after seeing the fresh rhubarb at my first farmers market of the year, I put my big girl pants on and picked up a bunch.

I decided to dip my toe into the rhubarb pool with a fruit loaded bread pudding for Mother's Day. Strawberries and granny smith apple join the rhubarb with day old ciabatta rolls from the bakery.  Lemon zest, ground ginger, and vanilla flavor the custard light enough to serve for breakfast, which reanimates the rolls.  After a night in the fridge, let come to room temperature before baking.

I topped the bread pudding with a quick streusel and a rich creme anglaise from Joy of Baking.  A whole vanilla bean adds intense vanilla flavor and visual interest from the gorgeous black seeds to the egg yolk and heavy cream based dessert sauce.  Swoon!

Sweet strawberries and creme anglaise, tart apples and rhubarb, warmth from the ginger, and a bit of sour from the bread, it was the perfect Mother's Day dessert!  And of course, Brody helped too . . .

Shaved Carrot Salad

Recently, I've gotten really bored with the traditional lettuce salad.  I've been craving crunchy, tangy, and spicy, and certainly not lettuce.  Which is why something like shaved carrot salad is so fantastic for summer.  A tangy wasabi and citrus based dressing compliments the crunch and sweetness of the carrots.

Onion and Green Apple Quick Pickle

Like Snooki, I am a giant fan of pickles.  While I don't deep-throat bread and butters on the regular, I do quick pickle.  Tangy and crunchy quick pickles are perfect for cutting rich dishes while maintaining the crunch and freshness of the fruits and vegetables.  The basic formula is any crunchy veggies and/or fruits, an acid like citrus or vinegar, and any other flavors you want to add.

Today, I tried out an onion and granny smith combo with Latin American flair to go with the roasted duck leg and summer creamed corn.