roasted vegetables

roasted vegetables with za’atar / verdure arrosto con za’atar

| Simona

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[versione in italiano]

roasted vegetables with za'atar / IMG_3938 (1)

the oven and za'atar turn summer vegetables into a flavorful side dish
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Also called wild thyme, za’atar is an herb typical of the Middle East. Chef Yotam Ottolenghi has this to say about it:

[Za’atar] has a distinctive, pungent, savoury aroma. Its scientific name, Origanum syriacum, hints at a connection to oregano, marjoram and the like, but, for me, its flavour evokes cumin, lemon, sage and mint.1

Za’atar is also used to indicate a mix composed of the dried herb, sumac (obtained by grinding the berries of the shrub Rhus coriaria), salt and sesame seeds (semi di sesamo). If you purchase some za’atar mix, chances are, rather than za’atar (the herb), it contains dried thyme (timo secco), plus oregano and/or marjoram (origano e/o maggiorana). I first met za’atar in a spice jar, a mix of sumac, toasted sesame seeds, salt, cumin (cumino), thyme, oregano and marjoram. I used it up quickly in dishes like roasted cauliflower.2

Then I decided to make my own version. Given the popularity of za’atar (the mix), there are many recipes for it: the one I give below is the result of some experimenting. You can experiment with quantities to get to the balance of flavor you like. It is possible to purchase dried za’atar (at least online) and maybe one day I will do that. In the meantime, I use regular dried thyme.

The array of vegetables available this time of the year is sometimes overwhelming. I focused on a classic combination of zucchini, tomatoes and sweet onion. The photo above shows my favorite zucchini variety, Costata Romanesco, and a variety of plum tomatoes that perform well when roasted.



This is also the season of freshly harvested onion, which make for a lovely display, as in the photo above.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Roasted vegetables with za'atar

Ingredients for the za’atar mix (with dried thyme)

  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Ingredients for the vegetable side dish:

  • 4 ounces / 113 grams sweet onion, like Walla Walla
  • 1 pound / 450 grams zucchini or other summer squash
  • 1/2 pound / 8 ounces / 225 grams tomatoes (small Early Girl, plum cherry, grape or red cherry)
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and quartered lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon / 15 ml + 2 tablespoons / 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon / 15 ml za'atar spice mix

To make the za'atar mix, briefly whiz the first 5 ingredients in a spice grinder, or use a mortar and pestle to grind the thyme and oregano, then add the following 3 ingredients and grind some more.

Transfer to a small glass jar, add the sesame seeds, cover, shake and use as directed.

To prepare the roasted vegetables, heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C.

Lightly olive oil the bottom of a 3 quart / 3 liter glass baking dish using 1 tablespoon / 15 ml of the extra-virgin olive oil.

Dice the onion. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise then slice crosswise (no more than 1/2 inch / 1.25 cm thick). If the zucchini is plump, divide each half into thirds lengthwise before slicing. Halve the small tomatoes, quarter the larger ones, lengthwise.

Place all the vegetables in the baking dish and stir to mix. Place the baking dish in the oven. After 20 minutes, take the baking dish out of the oven and stir the vegetables. After another 5 minutes, check a piece of zucchini: the dish may be done or may need a few more minutes.

In the meantime, put the za'atar in a ramekin and slowly pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil while stirring to make a paste.

When the vegetables are ready, take the baking dish out of the oven and transfer onto a serving plate. Drizzle the za'atar on the vegetable and stir well. (Note: I took the photos before tossing to show the za'atar.) Taste and adjust the salt, if needed.

Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4.

roasted vegetables with za'atar / IMG_3936-2

hurry up: the vegetables are better when hot from the oven
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

You can dress other vegetables with the za’atar paste or dip bread into it and you can sprinkle za’atar on roasted meat or fish, flatbread or pizza. Making your own za’atar means you always have it handy.

1 Source: article on the Guardian
2 My post on roasted cauliflower with za'atar

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

verdure arrosto con za'atar

or launch the verdure arrosto con za'atar audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

zucchini, onion, tomatoes, zaatar, side-dish

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verdure arrosto con za'atar

roasted vegetables with za'atar / IMG_3938 (1)

il fornp e za'atar turasformano verdure estive in un contorno saporito
(tovaglietta de La FABBRICA del LINO)

Za’atar (Origanum syriacum) è un'erba tipica del Medio Oriente. Con lo stesso nome si indica anche una miscela di spezie che contiene la stessa erba, sumac (sommacco, Rhus coriaria) sale e semi di sesamo. 

Le prime volte ho usato za’atar comprato, un misto di sumac, semi di sesamo tostati, sale, cumino, timo, origano e maggiorana. L'ho finito rapidamente utilizzandolo in piatti come cavolfiore arrosto.1

Poi ho deciso di preparare la mia versione. Ci sono molte ricette per lo za’atar (la miscela). Quella qui sotto è il risultato dei miei esperimenti. Forse un giorno cercherò l'erba za'atar, ma nel frattempo uso il timo secco. 

Per questo contorno ho scelto la combinazione zucchine, pomodori e cipolla dolce. La foto in altro mostra le mie zucchine preferite e una varietà di pomodorini ottima per piatti al forno. La foto qui sotto mostra delle splendide cipolle.



Ingredienti per lo za’atar (miscela con timo secco)

  • 1 cucchiaio / 15 ml timo secco
  • 1/2 cucchiaino / 2,5 ml origano secco
  • 1 cucchiaio / 15 ml sumac (sommacco)
  • 1/2 cucchiaino / 2,5 ml sale fino
  • 1 cucchiaio / 15 ml cumino in polvere
  • 1 cucchiaio / 15 ml semi di sesamo tostati

Ingredienti per il contorno:

  • 113 grammi cipolle di una varietà dolce
  • 450 grammi zucchine
  • 225 grammi pomodorini
  • 4 spicchi d'aglio, pelati e tagliati in quattro per lungo
  • 1 cucchiaio / 15 ml + 2 cucchiai / 30 ml olio extra-vergine di olica
  • 1 cucchiaio / 15 ml za'atar

Per preparare lo za'atar (miscela), pestare in un mortaio timo e origano, poi aggiungere sumac, sale e cumino e pestare ancora un po'. Versare in un vasetto di vetro, aggiungere i semi di sesamo, mettere il coperchio e shakerare.

Per preparare le verdure arrosto, scaldare il forno a 190 C.

Oliare il fondo di una teglia da forno di vetro da 3 litri con 1 cucchiaio / 15 ml di olio extra-vergine di oliva.

Tagliare a dadini la cipolla. Tagliare in quarti le zucchine per lungo, poi tagliare a pezzetti non più spessi di 1,25 cm. Tagliare i pomodorini a metà o in quarti per lungo.

Mettere tutte le verdure nella teglia e mescolare. Mettere la teglia nel forno. Dopo 20 minuti, mescolare le verdure. Dopo altri 5 minuti, testare un pezzetto di zucchina: il piatto può essere pronto o necessitare di alcuni minuti di cottura aggiuntivi.

Nel frattempo mettere lo za'atar in una ciotolina e versare lentamente gli altri 2 cucchiai / 30 ml di olio extra-vergine di oliva, mescolando per fare una crema.

Quando le verdure sono pronte, sfornarle e trasferirle su un piatto da portata. Versare il condimento sulle verdure e mescolare bene. (Nota: ho scattato le foto prima di mescolare le verdure in modo da mostrare lo za'atar.) Assaggiare e, se necessario, aggiustare di sale.

Servire immediatamente (3-4 porzioni).

roasted vegetables with za'atar / IMG_3936-2

le verdure sono più buone quando sono ben calde
(tovaglietta de La FABBRICA del LINO)

Se preparate lo za'atar in casa lo avrete sempre a disposizione per provarlo in altre combinazioni vegetariane o meno.

1 Il mio post con la ricetta di cavolfiore arrosto con za'atar

Logo_v4Porto le mie verdure arrosto con za'atar sulla tavola del 7° mese del gruppo Fattoria consapevole e solidale: spezie e aromi

La lista delle ricette contribuite questo mese

 

FTC disclosure: Ho ricevuto la tovaglietta gratuitamente dall'azienda produttrice (la FABBRICA del LINO). Non ho ricevuto e non riceverò alcun compenso per presentare il prodotto sul mio blog. Le opinioni espresse nel post sono interamente personali.

recipe: roasted vegetables with za’atar

| Simona

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roasted eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes / melanzane, zucchine e pomodori in teglia

| Simona

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eggplant zucchini tomatoes garlic / IMG_3401

farm fresh and fabulous
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Our current Cook the Books Club selection is Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown1, a novel that follows the stories of two women, Alice and Eleanor (Nellie). In 2018, Alice and her husband, Nate, move from Manhattan to a house in a town outside New York sold because the previous owner had died. In the basement, Alice finds a cookbook and a box of old magazines. Her neighbor, Sally, tells her a bit about Eleanor, who lived in the house from the mid-1950’s until her death, and gives Alice a set of letters written by Eleanor to her own mother.

The novel alternates between Alice and Eleanor, both struggling in their marriage and holding secrets from their husband, both dealing with the expectations around childbearing, both trying to find their place in the world. As her husband becomes more and more violent, Nellie finds refuge with Miriam, her neighbor and Sally’s mother, just like Alice finds a friend in Sally.

In the sections devoted to Nellie, we see her cooking dishes from a beloved cookbook that belonged to her mother, Elsie. After Alice finds the cookbook, she tries some recipes. Each recipe is given within context: for example, cookies prepared for a neighborhood meeting, Baked Alaska for a dinner party. The nicest recipe-related scene is the one where Nellie recalls making Lemon Lavender Muffins with her mother in their small kitchen. Nellie does almost everything, while Elsie prepares the lavender buds (two teaspoons) and reminds Nellie not to overstir the batter.

One of the recipes in the book is for Tuna Casserole, which uses canned tuna and canned mushroom soup. This type of ingredients is part of casseroles’ success.

[T]he casserole—the all-American meal-in-a-dish that lured skilled cooks of the early 1900s away from the art of scratch recipes to the mechanics of convenience cooking, thus launching a new category in American-style cuisine.

Casseroles could, conversely, lure today’s convenience cooks back into the kitchen, if only to open a can of Campbell’s mushroom soup and throw a handful of noodles, cashews and celery stubs into a dish that would become that evening’s–and maybe even tomorrow’s–supper.2

In the summer, when fresh vegetables abound, I prefer to eat fresh vegetables. Still, I held to the idea of making a baked dish with a small number of ingredients. Rather than taking those from the pantry, I got them from the farmers’ market. This is the time of the year when it is easy to overdo with purchases. A dish of roasted vegetables is a way to make sure you use all your purchases. The side dish is great when freshly baked and leftovers (avanzi) are delicious.

roasted eggplant zucchini and tomatoes / IMG_3411 (1)

maybe not the prettiest dish, but so tasty!
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

The dish is not particularly pretty, but the raw ingredients are. Recently I’ve been photographing sets of vegetables fresh from the farmers’ market, edible still lives. It’s hard not to be fascinated by the colors: in the photo at the top the eggplant Listada de Gandia is marbled purple, the zucchini Costata Romanesco are light green and speckled and the tomatoes on the vine are Edox3 perfectly red. The herb on the right is winter savory4 (santoreggia montana) from my garden, an herb I use a lot in my cooking.

It is fine to use other varieties of eggplant and zucchini. In fact, the rendition pictured above and below included a purple globe eggplant and I have also used Chinese eggplant (from a favorite vendor at the South Berkeley farmers’ market, who also introduced me to Chinese bitter melon and Korean melon) and yellow zucchini.

Print-friendly version of briciole’s recipe for Roasted eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons / 45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 eggplant (or 2 small ones) 12 ounces / 340 grams
  • 2 zucchini 9 ounces / 250 grams
  • 6 ounces / 170 grams cherry plum, cherry or grape tomatoes: a variety that is good for roasting
  • 2 plums or 1 peach 4 ounces / 112 grams, optional but good
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh leaves of winter savory or thyme or a mix of the two
  • 1/4 teaspoon Penzey’s Arizona Dreaming Seasoning OR a pinch each of ground paprika, cumin, black pepper, ancho or chipotle pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C.

Distribute the olive oil on the bottom of a 3 quart / 3 liter (13″x 9″ x 2″ / 33 x 23 x 5 cm) glass baking dish.

Dice all the vegetables. Eggplant: slice crosswise (no more than 1/2 inch / 1.25 cm thick), then pile 2-3 slices and dice. Zucchini: quarter them lengthwise then slice crosswise (no more than 1/2 inch / 1.25 cm thick). If the zucchini is plump, divide each half into thirds lengthwise before slicing. Tomatoes: halve the small ones, quarter the larger ones, lengthwise. Cut the fruit in bite-sized pieces.

Place all the vegetables and fruit, if using, in the baking dish, sprinkle the herb(s) and seasoning (or spices). Stir to mix. Place the baking dish in the oven. After 20 minutes, take the baking dish out of the oven and stir the vegetables. After another 5 minutes, check a piece of eggplant and a piece of zucchini: the dish may be done or may need a few more minutes.

When the vegetables are ready, take the baking dish out of the oven, sprinkle the sea salt and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve out of the baking dish or transfer onto a serving dish and serve. 

Serves 4

IMG_3405

ready for the oven

I confess that I eat the first portion straight out of the baking dish.

1 The novel’s page on the author’s website
2 Casseroles – Main courses for baby boomers in the 50’s, these classic American dishes are easy to prepare, low cost and nutritious [from the LA Times].
3 About Edox tomato
4 About Savory
5 Penzey’s Arizona Dreaming Seasoning contains ancho chili pepper, black pepper, onion, garlic, paprika, spices, cumin, citric acid, Mexican oregano, cilantro, lemon peel, chipotle pepper, red pepper, jalapeño, cocoa and natural smoke flavoring. [I do not have any business relationship with the company. This is the product I use and I share the link as information.]

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

melanzane, zucchine e pomodori in teglia

or launch the melanzane, zucchine e pomodori in teglia audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

CtBThis is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by Debra of Eliot’s Eats. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)

The roundup of the event.

FTC disclosure: I have received the table linens free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, side dish, Italian cuisine

recipe: roasted eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes

| Simona

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cavolini di Bruxelles con avocado / Brussels sprouts with avocado

| Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

roasted Brussels sprouts

a simple side dish that tastes great

I have made this side dish a dozen times recently. As I explained in a recent post, I have been harvesting Brussels sprouts as part of my U-pick CSA share, and those, together with Zutano avocados acquired at our local farmers' market, inspired me to devise this simple, flavorful contorno (side dish). 

The dish highlights the flavor of Brussels sprouts — sweetened by oven-roasting — via the creamy texture of avocado. The lemon juice adds a brightening trill.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Brussels sprouts with avocado

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts
  • Olive oil
  • A medium avocado 
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice (succo di limone), possibly from a Meyer lemon

How to roast the Brussels sprouts
Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse and trim the sprouts as needed: cut off the hard end of the stem (1/16 – 1/8 inch / 2-3 mm), then remove any wilted leaves. Cut the smaller sprouts in half and quarter the larger ones. Place in a bowl and sprinkle a bit of olive oil on them. Stir well then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Turn the halved sprouts cut side down and the quartered ones to have one of the cut sides down. Bake until tender. After 20 minutes, stir the sprouts (keeping them still in one layer) and gauge the time remaining to complete cooking. They should be nice and tender, with a hint of browning of the lighter parts.

How to finish the dish
While the Brussels sprouts are in the oven, dice the avocado pulp and place in a food processor fitted with the steel blade or a blender, add a pinch of salt and a bit of lemon juice (I prefer the more delicate flavor of Meyer lemon here) and process briefly. Empty into a serving bowl. Alternatively, dice the avocado pulp and place in a serving bowl, add the other two ingredients, and mash it with a fork (this is what I did the evening I took the photo above).

When the Brussels sprouts are ready, place them into the bowl (insalatiera) with the mashed avocado and toss well. Adjust the salt and serve warm.

In our household, these quantities serve two and there are no leftovers (avanzi).

Brussels sprouts with avocado

The evening I photographed the bowl of roasted Brussels sprouts above, the sky looked thus.

after sunset

after sunset

Whb367This is my contribution to edition #367 of Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by Simona of briciole (that would be me).

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

cavolini di Bruxelles con avocado

or launch the cavolini di Bruxelles con avocado audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

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Brussels sprout, avocado, side dish

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cavolini di Bruxelles con avocado

roasted Brussels sprouts

un contorno semplice e gustoso

Questo contorno l'ho preparato una dozzina di volte nelle ultime settimane. Come ho spiegato in un post recente, raccolgo cavolini di Bruxelles in un'azienda agricola locale e questi, insieme agli avocado di varietà Zutano che trovo al farmers' market, mi hanno ispirato a creare un contorno semplice e dal sapore piacevole. 

Attraverso la cremosità dell'avocado, il piatto mette in risalto il sapore dei cavolini di Bruxelles addolciti dalla cottura al forno. Il succo di limone aggiunge una nota brillante.

Ingredienti:

  • 450 g cavolini di Bruxelles
  • olio d'oliva
  • un avocado medio
  • sale fino
  • succo di limone fresco, possibilmente di limone Meyer

Cuocere i cavolini di Bruxelles
Scaldare il forno a 180 C. Lavare e mondare i cavolini: tagliare la parte dura del gambo (2-3 mm) e rimuovere le foglioline avvizzite, se ce ne sono. Tagliare a metà i cavolini più piccoli e in quarti quelli più grossi. Metterli tutti in un'insalatiera e spruzzarci sopra un po' d'olio. Mescolare bene, poi distribuirli in un solo strato sopra una placca da forno foderata con un tappetino di silicone per forno. Girare le metà in modo che la parte tagliata sia sotto e i quarti in modo che poggino su una delle parti tagliate. Cuocere in forno fino a quando siano teneri. Dopo 20 minuti, mescolare i cavolini mantenendoli su un solo strato e stimare il tempo che rimane per completare la cottura. Al termine devono essere teneri e un po' abbronzati nelle parti chiare.

Completare la preparazione
Mentre i cavolini sono nel forno, tagliare a dadini la polpa dell'avocado e frullarla brevemente insieme ad un pizzico di sale e del succo di limone (io preferisco il sapore delicato del limone Meyer). Versare in un'insalatiera. In alternativa, tagliare a dadini la polpa dell'avocado e metterla in un'insalatiera. Aggiungere gli altri due ingredienti e schiacciarla cin una forchetta (ho fatto così la sera che ho scattato la foto in alto).

Quando i cavolini sono pronti, metterli nell'insalatiera con l'avocado e mescolare bene. Regolare il sale e servire caldi.

A casa nostra questo piatto serve due persone e non ci sono mai avanzi.

Brussels sprouts with avocado

La sera che ho fotografato il piatto di cavolini di Bruxelles, il cielo si presentava così.

after sunset

dopo il tramonto

Whb367Questo post è il mio contributo all'edizione numero 367 di Weekend Herb Blogging, un evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen, organizzato ora da Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once, la cui versione italiana è organizzata da Brii di briggishome, e ospitata questa settimana da Simona di briciole (che sono io).

cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne / Brussels sprouts and chestnuts

| Simona

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

Brussels sprout and chestnuts

What a couple!

Have you ever noticed how pretty a Brussels sprout is? Each one is a miniature cabbage. I have been handling many recently and I still marvel at their perfection.

field of Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts are easy and fun to pick. The photo above shows a field and the one below a stalk bearing some sprouts. I took the photos during one of my Brussels sprout picking expeditions to Redwood Roots Farm. The expeditions are part of my winter U-pick CSA share with the farm. The idea is that, instead of receving a box with my share, I go out to the farm and pick what I want among what's available.

P1020546
The recipe I am about to describe was inspired by a Dutch dish. The immediate reason for my foray into Dutch cuisine is the first installment of the European Community Culinary ABC, which started this week in the Netherlands (Paesi Bassi).

I have a special connection to that country and to Amsterdam in particular: it is there that my husband and I first met. Although I have been to the Netherlands a few times, my knowledge of Dutch cuisine is nil. So, to prepare my contribution to the event, I browsed the web and quickly found an intriguing recipe that uses two ingredients I like, Brussels sprouts and chestnuts: Spruitjes met kastanjes.

chestnuts at the farmers' market

chestnuts at the farmers' market

Chestnut season is over, but I still have some local chestnuts I bought at our farmers' market and gladly used them in this dish. (I previously featured chestnuts in a soup: zuppa di castagne, fagioli e patate.) I halved the quantities and made several other adjustments to the original recipe. In particular, I cooked the Brussels sprouts is in the oven, because that is how I prefer to prepare them, used olive oil instead of butter and added some the water in which the raisins had been soaked to round off the dish.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Brussels sprouts and chestnuts

Ingredients:

  • 250 g /  9 oz. fresh chestnuts
  • 500 g / 1 lb. 2 oz. Brussels sprouts
  • A small bay leaf
  • Olive oil
  • 40 g / 1/3 cup / 1 1/2 oz. raisins (uvetta)
  • Ground nutmeg (noce moscata)
  • Sea salt

How to cook the chestnuts
With a pointed blade, make a slit in the shell without cutting through the meat. Place chestnuts in a saucepan, cover abundantly with water and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook gently until they are tender. Keep the chestnuts in the cooking water and take out one at a time to peel. Use a sharp knife with a pointed blade to remove the shell, then the skin. Set aside. (If a chestnut breaks, while being handled, it is fine.)

How to roast the Brussels sprouts
Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse and trim the sprouts as needed: cut off the hard end of the stem (about 1/8 inch / 3 mm), then remove any wilted leaves. Cut the smaller sprouts in half and quarter the larger ones. Place in a bowl and sprinkle a bit of olive oil on them. Stir well then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Turn the halved sprouts cut side down and the quartered ones to have one of the cut sides down. Bake until tender. After 20 minutes, stir the sprouts (keeping them still in one layer) and gauge the time remaining to complete cooking. They should be nice and tender, with a hint of browning of the lighter parts.

How to finish the dish
While the Brussels sprouts are in the oven, place the raisins in a small bowl and add warm water to just cover them. When the Brussels sprouts are ready, place them in a bowl, add the chestnuts and the raisins, drained, plus a couple of tablespoons of their water. Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg and salt to taste, then dress with half a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss well and serve warm.

I don't know what would happen in a different household, but in ours, this dish served two with not a sprout leaf or chestnut crumb left over.

image from 3.bp.blogspot.comThis is my contribution to the first installment of the Abbecedario culinario della Comunità Europea (European Community Culinary ABC), an event organized by Trattoria MuVarA that will bring us to visit 26 countries of the EU (all except Italy) using the alphabet as guide. A like Appeltaart (Netherlands) is hosted by Mony of Gata da plar.

On this page you can see the recipe of Appeltaart and the list of dishes contributed to the event.

If you are interested in participating, this post has the complete list of countries, hosts and time frames.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne

or launch the cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

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Brussels sprout, chestnut, Dutch recipe

Newrule

cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne

Brussels sprout and chestnuts

Che bella coppia!

Avete mai notato quanto sono carini i cavolini di Bruxelles? Ognuno è un cavolo in miniatura. Di recente ne ho presi in mano parecchi e continuo a meravigliarmi della loro perfezione.

field of Brussels sprouts 

I cavolini di Bruxelle dono divertenti da raccogliere. La foto qui sopra mostra delle piante e quella qui sotto dei cavolini ancora sulla pianta. Le ho scattate durante una delle mie spedizioni a Redwood Roots Farm: invece di ricevere la cassettina, vado nell'azienda e raccolgo quello che preferisco.

P1020546
L'ispirazione per la ricetta che sto per descrivere mi è stata data da un piatto olandese adocchiato per il mio contributo alla prima tappa dell'Abbecedario Culinario della Comunità Europea, cominciato questa settimana con una visita ai Paesi Bassi.

Ho un legame speciale con quel paese e in particolare con Amsterdam, dove io e mio marito ci siamo conosciuti. Anche se sono stata nei Paesi Bassi alcune volte, la mia conoscenza della cucina olandese è nulla. Quindi, per preparare il mio contributo all'evento, ho consultato internet e ho subito trovato una ricetta interessante che utilizza cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne, due ingredienti che mi piacciono molto: Spruitjes met kastanjes.

chestnuts at the farmers' market

castagne al mercato

La stagione delle castagne è terminata, ma io ne ho ancora un po', comprate al farmers' market, e le ho utilizzate volentieri in questo piatto. (In precedenza, le avevo usate nell'ottima zuppa di castagne, fagioli e patate.) Ho dimezzato le dosi della ricetta ispiratrice e apportato altre modifiche. In particolare, ho cotto i cavolini di Bruxelles al forno, che è il mio modo preferito di prepararli. Inoltre, ho usato olio d'oliva invece di burro e un po' dell'acqua nella quale ho fatto rinvenire l'uvetta per completare il piatto.

Ingredienti:

  • 250 g castagne
  • 500 g cavolini di Bruxelles
  • una piccola foglia d'alloro
  • olio d'oliva
  • 40 g uvetta
  • noce moscata grattugiata
  • sale fino

Cuocere le castagne
Con una lama appuntita, fare un taglio sulla buccia senza arrivare ad incidere la polpa. Mettere le castagne in una pentola, coprire abbondantemente d'acqua e aggiungere l'alloro. Portare a bollore e cuocere a fuoco dolce fino a quando le castagne sono morbide. Tenere le castagne nell'acqua di cottura e tirarne fuori una alla volta per pelarla. Usare un coltello con la punta per rimuovere la buccia e la pellicina. Mettere da parte.

Cuocere i cavolini di Bruxelles
Scaldare il forno a 180 C. Lavare e mondare i cavolini: tagliare la parte dura del gambo (2-3 mm) e rimuovere le foglioline avvizzite, se ce ne sono. Tagliare a metà i cavolini più piccoli e in quarti quelli più grossi. Metterli tutti in un'insalatiera e spruzzarci sopra un po' d'olio. Mescolare bene, poi distribuirli in un solo strato sopra una lastra da forno foderata con un tappetino di silicone per forno. Girare le metà in modo che la parte tagliata sia sotto e i quarti in modo che poggino su una delle parti tagliate. Cuocere in forno fino a quando siano teneri. Dopo 20 minuti, mescolare i cavolini mantenendoli su un solo strato e stimate il tempo che rimane per completare la cottura. Al termine devono essere teneri e un po' abbronzati nelle parti chiare.

Completare la preparazione
Mentre i cavolini sono nel forno, far rinvenire l'uvetta in una ciotolina con dell'acqua calda. Quando i cavolini sono pronti, metterli in un'insalatiera, aggiungere le castagne e l'uvetta scolata più 2 cucchiai dell'acqua in cui è stata a mollo. Spargere un pizzico di noce moscata e sale q.b., poi distribuire un filo d'olio (mezzo cucchiaio). Mescolare bene e servire caldo come contorno.

Non so quante persone questo piatto serve in un'altra famiglia, ma nella nostra questo piatto ha servito due persone e non sono avanzate né una foglia di cavoletto né una briciola di castagna.

image from 3.bp.blogspot.comQuesto è il mio contributo alla prima tappa dell'Abbecedario culinario della Comunità Europea, un evento organizzato dalla Trattoria MuVarA che ci porterà a visitare i 26 paesi della Comunità Europea (eccetto l'Italia) usando le lettere dell'alfabeto come guida. A come Appeltaart (Paesi Bassi) è ospitato da Mony di Gata da plar.

Se questa pagina trovate la ricetta della Appeltaart e la lista dei post contribuiti all'evento.

Se siete interessati a partecipare, questo post contiene la lista completa di paesi, blog ospitanti e scadenze.

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zuppa di castagne, fagioli e patate / chestnut, bean and potato soup