Brussels Sprouts Ragout

I modified this recipe from one in the local daily newspaper, The Commercial Appeal. They cited their source as Vegetarian Times. They had it with a lemon/balsamic vinegar/maple syrup pan sauce, but I like it better with a simple shot of lemon. If you're not crazy about Brussels sprouts, this is one way to make them more approachable, mixing them with other vegetables. If you ARE crazy about Brussels sprouts (like me), it's yet another way of enjoying them!

 

 

 

Ingredients:
2 T. vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance.)
2 T. olive oil
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, washed/stemmed/quartered
2 1/2 c. thickly slicked leeks, all of the white and some of the green  (Wash the slices carefully, because leeks often have dirt and grit in the layers.
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. baby spinach, washed

salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
juice of 1 fresh lemon
1/2 c. toasted pecans (optional - Scott won't touch a savory dish with nuts in it!  You don't have to, either!)

Method:
Heat 1 T. margarine and 1 T. olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts, cover, and cook 8 - 10 minutes or until some are browned.  Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.

Return the pot to medium-low heat and heat the remaining 1 T. margarine and 1 T. olive oil.  Add leeks, cover, and cook 7 - 10 minutes or until leeks are soft and some are browned.  Uncover, add garlic, and sauté 1 minute.  If any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan, add 2 T. water to the pan and use a spatula to scrape them up, but do not remove them.

Mix the Brussels sprouts back in with the leeks, add the spinach, and cook until the spinach is wilted.  Stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.  Garnish with pecans, if using.

Serves 2 - 3 as a side dish.

Potato-Leek Soup

A couple of nights ago I made a version of potato-leek soup adapted from Barbara Kafka and Christopher Styler's cookbook Vegetable Love.  I didn't expect much from it.  The recipe is simple, and I was really just trying to use some leeks I had in the fridge before they went bad.  But wow!  It turned out great!  Vegans, I'm sorry to say that, surprisingly, the cream made a fair difference, but you can certainly make this without it.

I didn't photograph it, because puréed potatoes don't make much of a photograph, but it was still quite delicious.  I served it with bruschetta (recipe and photo here), because we are still getting fresh tomatoes from the garden.  Here it is:

Ingredients:

1 lb. white potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

2 leeks

3 c. water

1 pkg low-sodium miso soup mix (to prepare 8 oz. miso soup...I used Edward & Sons Miso-Cup brand.)

2 T. organic heavy cream (optional - As many of you know, I prefer Organic Valley brand.)

salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Remove the green leafy end and 1 inch of the root-end of each leek, and compost the removed parts.  For the remaining leek stalks, cut them into ½-inch sections crosswise.  Wash them in a basin of water to remove any grit.

In a large saucepan, add the potatoes, leeks, water, and the miso soup mix.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer, covered, 20 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Working in batches of approximately 2 cups each, purée the prepared potato mixture in a blender.  Salt and pepper to taste.  (I used approximately 1 tsp. salt.)  Add the organic heavy cream, if using, and serve warm.