Sprouts And Spuds

I have added Brussel sprouts to my garden this year; it will be my first time planting them. I have always loved them so it will be especially nice to enjoy them fresh picked right from my own back yard. Brussel sprouts can be prepared in a hundred different ways from simple to over the top and turn out delicious every time. I like this recipe because it reminds me a little of the English bubble and squeak (cabbage and mashed potatoes). I guess you could mash this up and pretty much have the same thing either way it is just good eating made simple.

Brussel Sprouts and New Potatoes

About a dozen sm. red potatoes  washed and quartered
A dozen or so Brussels sprouts, trimmed with X cut in stem for quicker cooking
Tablespoon of butter
Tablespoon of olive oil
3/4 c. of chicken broth or water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives or green onion tops

Place Brussel sprouts and potatoes in large sauté pan with olive oil and butter set to medium high heat. Once sprouts and potatoes are nicely coated with the butter and oil add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes then lower heat, cover and let simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes. Turn off heat, add salt, pepper, herbs and onion tops, give it a good stir and serve.

The addition of crumbled bacon or a dollop of sour cream is a welcome touch.

Memories Can Grow Like Weeds

Italians do love their bitter greens so much so that they would spend full days in a field somewhere picking them. I know this only because from the time I was a small child my grandmother and great aunts put a little weed puller in my hand and taught me the fine art of dandelion picking. It really didn’t seem like work, it was fun being with them and listening to their stories of the past. The time would fly by and before you knew it we were heading home with bags and bags of dandelions to clean. My grandmother loved to use them for salads but they were also great fried with a little garlic. This particular recipe was created for two reasons the potatoes were a way to stretch the dandelion greens (they have a tendency to cook down to nothing) and the other reason was that the potatoes would mellow out their bitterness.
For some folks dandelions are not a welcoming sight, they are just a nuisance weed ruining their beautiful lawns. For us they are a welcoming sight that stirs up memories of good times spent with loved ones and of the traditional foods that we enjoyed as a family.

Dandelion Greens and Potatoes

12 cups of cleaned dandelion greens
2 cups of diced potatoes
5 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Hot pepper flakes to taste
Salt to taste

Boil greens with potatoes about 5 minutes, drain. Heat oils in a skillet, add garlic and hot pepper. As soon as garlic takes on color, add greens and potatoes, 1 cup of liquid they were boiled in, and salt. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Mash with fork and add more oil, if desired.

Photo Courtesy of YellowHammer/Flickr