About myself I could say that I love broccoli, I like cauliflower, and I eat brussels sprouts. Do you like them? I think that I buy them about once a year, I did plant them once but I wasn't very successful: they opened up like little cabbages (maybe it is not cold enough in Auckland) and they attracted lots of bugs. And nobody in the family is exactly 'crazy' about them. My husband saw my shopping bag and said 'Brussels???'. He wasn't looking forward to dinner. The kids didn't even remember the taste, since we eat them so rarely, but they hear horrible tales about them from other kids: nobody is supposed to like them.
But I love variety, and if I cook the brussels slowly in veggie stock, and maybe with other vegetables, I think that they can be interesting. I put them in vegetables soups, like minestrone, and they don't seem bitter then. This time, instead, I wanted to cook them with other brassica, so a made a big brussels/cauli/broccoli mix.
Brussels, Cauliflower and Broccoli mix
I sauteed a garlic clove with a little olive oil, then I added my brassica: brussels and cauliflower florets first, and the after 5 minutes, the broccoli. Stir well during this time, you don't want to burn your brassicas!! Then I added 250 ml of vegetable stock, lowered the heat, covered with a lid, and cooked the lot until the liquid was absorbed. They can be used as a side dish, but also with pasta, or to fill a pie. They were eaten no problem, with comments like: "Cooked like this they are not bad..." which probably meant "Ok I'll eat them, but can we have pizza tomorrow?"
Quick Cheesy Brussels Quiche
Well, my husband approved of this one: you can't even see the sprouts :-) !! I used some ready made puff pastry as a base and arranged some of the brussels from above. I added about half a cup of grated edam cheese, and then mixed 3 eggs with one cup of vegetable stock and poured it on top (no cream, vegetable stock works well if you like to cut the calories just a little :-). Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes and serve. Really really yum!
Maybe I will not have anymore brussels for another year, I'll wait for better brassica to fill my garden (like cavolo nero, my favourite) and other veggies too, but sometime it is nice to change, and I have to say this: brussels are not that bad, and they look really 'doll-house' cute. Plus I enjoy the challenge of making them taste good to children... of all ages.
Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini, Artwork by Arantxa Zecchini Dowling ©
a dir il vero i cavolini di brussels è una delle poche verdure di cui faccio volentieri a meno......però ti rubo l'idea della torta salata taglia calorie ......
ReplyDeletevisto che è arrivato il tempo di svestirci, potrebbe aiutare a far rientrare qualche sporgenza ^_______^
Io li amo e anch'io sono riuscita a convertire il mio ragazzo con qualche ricetta stuzzicante ;) la prossima volta potrei provare la tua!
ReplyDeleteI love broccoli and I eat cauliflower and brussel sprouts...Brussel sprouts *are* cute though, I wish I liked them more.
ReplyDeleteA me i cavolini di B piacciono da matti, in ogni modo!Gratinati con la besciamella, stufati, al vapore...la loro dolcezza mi conquisa sempre!Se poi hai la fortuna di averli coltivati tu...E che bella questa torta salata!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE brussels sprouts. Always have. My fav way to cook them is sliced in half and gently cooked in a little butter/ghee with a lid on until just tender. One side goes all golden and Mmmmmm mmmm. I've also had no luck trying to grow them. We tried 3 years in a row, over it now!
ReplyDeleteI love brussel sprouts! Never tried them in quiche before, yours look amazingly delicious! Thanks for this lovely recipe!
ReplyDeleteNiente, non ce la faccio, non riesco a mangiarli. Però ecco, in una quiche già mi fanno tutto un altro effetto...
ReplyDeleteYes, I like it a lot! I love all cauliflower and cabbage family... ;)
ReplyDeleteAlessandra, io vado pazza per tutti i tipi di cavoli, e dico tutti, tutti, meno i cavoletti di Bruxelles, non capisco perché, però la tua ricetta me la tengo per fare la quiche ai porri che invece adoro....baci
ReplyDeleteperò i colori di queste foto sono splendidi
I haven't tried brussel sprouts, I have to try them.
ReplyDeleteI like brussel sprouts. I make them often but never made them in quiche. Sounds like a good idea. Thank you for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteChe bella torta salata hai realizzato con i cavoletti! Dev'essere golosissima! E poi i cavoletti sono deliziosi!
ReplyDeletequi da noi ne va pazza mia figlia, per cui glieli faccio spesso, quando è stagione, ma semplici semplici, in padella con un po' di pancetta. secondo me sono buoni, ma la tua quiche di più
ReplyDeleteI havent tried brussel sprouts..liked your ideas of using them..
ReplyDeletebrussels sprouts.... definitely in my top list!
ReplyDeleteSO COOL to come across a NZ blog!!! I'm writing from France, but am from Raglan, NZ originally.
ReplyDeleteI love your work here, have spent the last hour reading up on it all!!!
Keep it up!! :)
dakotad.com
To all, a tutti, cool to see more people who like them than not, but I guess that people who don't like brussels would avoid this post! hehehe
ReplyDelete@ Dakota, from Raglan!!! Well, I will come to visit you now :-)
Ciao Alessandra! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for commenting here on the blog. And thanks for the compliments!!! That isn't a real kitchen, it's an artistic display that was in the restaurant. :) But I thought it was more conceptual than the actual restaurant. Traveling is awesome, can't agree with you more. It would be really cool to be in your NZ blog section :) Hope you're having a great weekend in the Waitakere ranges!!!
D :)
p.s Off to Italy again in June!
ReplyDeleteWell lucky you D! Where will you go? I'll put you on the roll now :-).
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I'm not a huge brussel sprout fan but it depends on how they're cooked! :D These look great and I love the first photo with the water :)
ReplyDeleteI love brussels sprouts, any kind of cauliflower and cabbage and with few little tricks my son started eating them. Your quiche is really yummi!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend
Io li adoro!! mi fanno impazzire!
ReplyDeletestupenda la prima foto, mi piace un sacco!.
Per la mouss di passion fruit...credo proprio che puoi farla con l'agar agar! :)
è buoniiiisssima!
baciotti, buon week end!
Aha small world :-) Dakota is from my hometown too!
ReplyDeleteI LOATHE brussels sprouts! And the world is full of people unsuccessfully trying to convince me to like them!! But your recipes actually look tempting - which is high praise from a confirmed B-S hater!!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
mi sa che abbiamo tutti apprezzato più la quiche che i cavoletti in sè! :) chissà perchè nessuno ci va pazzo...però nn sono male! e mixati come hai fatto tu con altre verdure sono molto meglio! buon fine settimana!
ReplyDeleteWe do like Brussels Sprouts, but I'm always open to new ways to prepare them. Your tart looks wonderful and I really like the fact that you used stock rather than cream to assemble it. Have a wonderful weekend. Blessings...Mary
ReplyDeleteI don't mind brussels sprouts, but I prefer cavolo nero. I use it all the time in Italy, but it is not so easy to get in Australia. It is sometimes called kale here - I peefer cavolo nero.
ReplyDeleteCome te, li mangio e una volta l'anno è sufficiente! ;) Il resto invece l'adoro!
ReplyDelete@ Debra, i also prefer cavolo nero, is growing in my garden now, still a baby!
ReplyDeleteI do like the much maligned brussels sprouts! Great with bacon or walnuts. I have never thought of putting them in a quiche before, but I reckon that could be quite delicious!
ReplyDeleteAs a quiche lover I just have to try your Quick Cheesy Brussels Quiche. When I was young I used to hate brussels. My Mother used to ask that I just eat two, but as you get older your tastes change. I even look forward to eating them in the winter now!
ReplyDelete