I think our oven is on its last legs. Things just aren’t baking or roasting right. This is especially unfortunate, as we’re moving into prime roasty/bakey season. So, our go-to plan for brussels sprouts (olive oil, salt, pepper, roast) is no longer a no-brainer. But steaming is a little…blah.
Enter braising. I’ve never really done this (to my knowledge), so I appreciated the clear instructions in this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I made a couple of small alterations, and that’s what I’m posting here.
1 T unsalted butter
1 T olive oil
1 lb/500 g brussels sprouts, trimmed
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 T heavy cream
1 T smooth dijon mustard (or more to taste)
2 T chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add butter and when butter melts, add sprouts and arrange in a single layer, cut-side down (if they don’t all fit, brown in batches, then add all for next steps). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and allow them to cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add shallots and garlic, stir and cook until they soften slightly. Add wine and broth and bring to a simmer, lower heat to medium-low, then cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until sprouts are easily pierced with a knife.
When sprouts are cooked, remove them from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid behind. Add cream and simmer for 3 minutes, then whisk in mustard. Adjust seasoning as necessary, add sprouts back to skillet to heat through and coat with sauce.
Good heavens, these sound delicious! I’m forwarding the recipe to Aunt Barb. Maybe we’ll get them for Thanksgiving. (Hint…)
Love,
Mom
What do you mean by not working right?
Hi Cathy,
The seals around the door aren’t sealing entirely, so it’s throwing out more heat than usual. I think it’s also struggling to maintain a temperature (makes sense if the seals are shot). We have an Einbauküche, so I’m debating whether to say anything to the landlady.
I definitely would tell the landlady. I’ve been wanting to replace my oven too since Noticing that mine burns unevenly (hotter at the back than front). If I could win a new kitchen from some contest, that would be really nice!
I know I should – I just don’t have time to deal with it right now. If I find any contests that are giving away a kitchen, I’ll let you know!
I love brussels sprouts and mustard together. It’s a perfect pair, in my mind. Since I am anti-parsley, I use rosemary or tarragon and it’s delish. Like your mother said, it’s great for thanksgiving dinner too. Speaking of which, are you all doing something for the big day of feast?
Hi krishwala,
We don’t really have plans for Thanksgiving – we have a lot of events happening around it, so we’re letting it go this year. We’ve sort of become decoupled from the calendar, in that doing things to celebrate on a specific date isn’t so important to us.
I feel you on the tarragon, but Cliff thinks a little goes a long way and I don’t have a careful hand with it, so I steer clear. If you’re anti-parsley, does that make tabbouleh a no-no?
Sadly, tabbouleh is a big no-no. I have ate it in the past in instances where the hosts didn’t know my dislike for the herb.