Pan-Seared Brussels Sprouts

1 stalk of Brussels sprouts Canola oil Sea salt Toasted garlic drizzling oil

Thinly coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil. Remove Brussels sprouts from the stalk, including any stray leaves.  Cut the larger sprouts in half and place them cut-side down in the pan.  Place the rest of the smaller buds and leaves in the pan, trying to keep everything in an even layer.  Turn the heat on to medium or medium-high.  Do not disturb the sprouts while you are waiting for them to brown.

Sprinkle a little salt over the tops when they begin to turn bright green.  When the sprouts begin to brown on the bottoms you can give them a stir to make sure they are cooking evenly, but do not over-cook them.  They should still have a little crunch when done.  Remove from heat and drizzle toasted garlic oil on top, and salt to taste.

Tom's Grilled Cabbage

Ingredients: Caraflex (conehead) cabbage or Napa cabbage Olive oil Garlic powder Onion powder Sea salt Black pepper

Method: Cut the cabbage in half or quartered.  Place in a plastic storage bag with some olive oil and the seasonings and shake until well-coated. Place the cabbage cut-side down on a hot grill and leave until it is fork tender, but still has a little crunch.  Slice before serving or serve in wedges.  This method also works great for peeled slices of Kohlrabi.

Simple Napa Cabbage

One head of napa cabbage, sliced
Canola oil
White wine vinegar
3 green onions, chopped
Sea salt & Pepper to taste

Napa cabbage is great in a salad, but I was in the mood for comfort food this evening so I tried it warm. It was surprisingly delicious, and the first thing the kids ate.  So I thought I would share.  Just heat a little oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat, then add the cabbage.  Stir a few minutes until the cabbage is wilted and soft.  Remove from the heat and stir in a few tablespoons of white wine vinegar, the green onions, and salt & pepper.  That's it...simple and easy.

**May 30:  I tried this on a burrito with Auntie's Guacamole, black beans & Quinoa.  It was really tasty!  I bet it would be a good substitute for sour kraut on a Reuben sandwich too!

Roasted Kohlrabi, Beets and Fennel

The presentation of this dish is half of what makes it so good. But she's not just a pretty face. Roasting brassicas and root vegetables intensifies the flavors, caramelizes the natural sugars, and creates a perfect foundation for the rich, lemony sauce.  Any color beets will work, but the red ones give the best color contrast for presentation. If you don't have fennel, you can substitute shallots or red onion, but the fennel really makes this dish special.

Ingredients: 1 large fennel bulb 2 beets 2 kohlrabi bulbs Canola oil Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 recipe for Lemon Tarragon Sauce (click link or see March 21, 2012)

Method: Wash and trim vegetables.  Peeling is optional.  Slice vegetables thinly with a mandolin slicer or a very sharp chef's knife (about 1/8 in thick).  Brush or rub canola oil in the bottom of a glass or ceramic baking dish.  Layer the vegetables in a fan-like pattern, alternating as you go.  You can use a spiral pattern in a round dish, starting on the outside edge of the pan.  Drizzle a little canola oil over the top of the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until the edges brown.  Remove from oven and serve with Lemon Tarragon Sauce.

Easy Greens

This recipe is great for using the tops of your beets, kohlrabi, or any other flat-leafed greens like kale, collards, and chard.  We finish with a simple balsamic vinegar, but you can use any acidic flavor that you prefer and season to taste.  The most important part is slicing the leaves thinly, making a really enjoyable texture.

Method: Remove greens from the beets and kohlrabi.  (Use any other greens available if you want to make a large batch for more than 2 people.)  Wash the greens in a sink full of cold water.  Cut the leaves away from the hard rib in the center of the leaf (or leave in if you like the extra crunch).  Stack and fold (or roll) the leaves lengthwise and cut across the short side with a large, sharp knife.  Make sure to slice as thinly as possible for the best texture.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet and add the greens.  Saute until tender on medium-high heat, moving the greens around often so that they cook more evenly. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, sea salt and some toasted garlic drizzling oil.  Cook a minute or two longer to allow the acid of the vinegar to mellow.  These can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days.