Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Les bananes vertes (Bangladesh)
Gorgeous sunset on an island upstream in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Bunches and bunches of green bananas sitting on the asphalt in the middle of a small riverport town near the mouth of the delta.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Brussel Sprouts
Why is the brussel sprout loathed? The intesity of the cabbage flavor seems to be a major turn off for many, but there are ways to eat the vegetable without overdosing on bitterness and stink (as I like to call it). A side of brussel sprouts should be paired with other strong flavors: prime rib roast, braised chuck steak, or a hearty pot of chili. Weaker flavor pairings like fish or turkey should be left for those who truly love the veg.
Early indications from my kitchen experiments with the sprout lead me to believe that lightly boiling the veg tames the flavor. Braising and broiling does the complete opposite. Last night, since I had some leftover couscous, lentils and tomatoes, I decided to make a strong veggie side (yes, I am a brussel sprout lover). The dish came out perfectly:
Fry up a few slices of bacon, uncured and thick cut. While the bacon gets crispy, put halved brussel sprouts into a pot of boiling water with some sea salt. Boil until sprouts turn bright green (not too long!). Throw a few pinches of fresh thyme leaves in with the bacon and break up the crispy bits. Drain sprouts and set aside. Toss a couple of handfuls of roast corn kernels into the pan with the bacon and thyme and saute. Toss in sprouts. Saute all with a few dashes of salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper.
I kid you not this is a great way to eat sprouts! If you want more sprout flavor, do the same recipe except instead of boiling the sprouts, use chicken stock and braise until stock is almost dry. Then throw the sprout and stock in with the bacon, thyme and corn.
Early indications from my kitchen experiments with the sprout lead me to believe that lightly boiling the veg tames the flavor. Braising and broiling does the complete opposite. Last night, since I had some leftover couscous, lentils and tomatoes, I decided to make a strong veggie side (yes, I am a brussel sprout lover). The dish came out perfectly:
Fry up a few slices of bacon, uncured and thick cut. While the bacon gets crispy, put halved brussel sprouts into a pot of boiling water with some sea salt. Boil until sprouts turn bright green (not too long!). Throw a few pinches of fresh thyme leaves in with the bacon and break up the crispy bits. Drain sprouts and set aside. Toss a couple of handfuls of roast corn kernels into the pan with the bacon and thyme and saute. Toss in sprouts. Saute all with a few dashes of salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper.
I kid you not this is a great way to eat sprouts! If you want more sprout flavor, do the same recipe except instead of boiling the sprouts, use chicken stock and braise until stock is almost dry. Then throw the sprout and stock in with the bacon, thyme and corn.
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