12.01.06

My First Addition to the Entrees…

Posted in The Story, Recipes at 2:16 am by Chef Matt

It seems like all my posts are about firsts these days. I guess to some degree that has to do with the fact that this is a new restaurant, so everything I do here is once again a “first,” but also this is because the menu at Tirolo was more “set,” while the menu at Vero keeps changing and having additions - areas for me to help out and change and grow. And in this case, lend a hand to a special.

It began yesterday actually with one of my coworkers asking me about beets. We use beets for a lot of our specials, and one of our regular salads includes beets as well. I offered him a slice of beet from my bin in my salad bar, and he declined. I was shocked. “I thought you liked beets,” I said. “I love beets,” he replied. The conversation then went into how I basically think beets taste like dirt, and they are one of three common foods I don’t like. Beets, Broccoli and then the third one I was having trouble recalling. “Brussels sprouts?” my coworker asked.

This is not the face of evil….

This is a common food to hate. But I replied, “Oh no, Brussels sprouts are great - when cooked properly.” This is a key point to enjoying the sprouts. When they are boiled or steamed, I agree, they are one of the nastiest creations known to man. But if you slice them, and then caramelize them in a pan by sautéing them, they are actually quite good. (Recipe below.)

My friend was skeptical. Shortly thereafter, the head chef came in, and he was placing an order, and he was contemplating getting some Brussels sprouts. My co-worker looked at me, and implied that it was my call. I remained undaunted, and again emphasized how these could be a great addition, provided we cooked them properly. I had no idea if that meant he was going to order them or not.

…this is.

I came into work today, and the Brussels sprouts were waiting for me. My boss asked me to roast them, but I demurred, and emphasized that it was a sauté that really brought out all the right flavors. So I cut them up, and got to work. I thought I might have some bacon fat to cook them in (always the best) but alas, that had been used up, so I had to do them in butter. But all still turned out OK. They were an accompaniment to a veal dish we made tonight, and they came out just fine. So my first addition to an entree was complete.

But the real victory was that my coworker who originally loathed the sprouts said to me, “Wow, I am actually seeing what you are taking about now… those are really good!” A convert was won over. Then one of the servers came back to the kitchen and said how she had just had a sample of the veal dish from the “test plate”, and she thought the Brussels sprouts were better than the veal!

Chalk up another one for me! Don’t fear the sprouts people! Sure, they were nasty when your mom cooked them for you, but seriously they can be good. Just try the following recipe, and I assure you, you too will be won over to the dark side.

Brussels Spouts with Bacon, Blue Cheese and Chestnuts

Chop up about 1/3 pound bacon, and fry it an a skillet. Remove bacon to plate with a paper towel, and remove all but about 2 Tbsp of fat. Sauté 2 minced cloves of garlic and one chopped shallot in fat until garlic is fragrant and shallot is translucent. Add about 20 Brussels sprouts that have been halved or quartered, and sauté until caramelized on all sides. Add one can of peeled chestnuts (you can cook and peel your own, but what a pain in the ass!), make sure they are halved as well. Cook until heated through, re-add bacon to pan, and heat through as well. Remove from heat, put in serving bowl, and crumble 1/3 cup of blue cheese over mixture. Serve hot as an accompaniment to almost any meat, though lamb and game birds are especially good.

I hope you give this a shot - I was a doubter myself, but I promise you, this is better than you would think. Hey, there were no complaints at Vero tonight, and this time, people actually ordered the dish….

Matt

P.S. For those who asked about our review coming up in the Washington Post, I saw it today. It is good, and while I take no credit for it, I will be sure to comment on it when it is available to the general public. It is a load off the minds of my bosses to be sure. It is good to see them so happy.

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