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East Oregonian
EAT, DRINK & EXPLORE
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Getting evenly roasted Brussels sprouts is all about space
By SARA MOULTON
Associated Press
With Passover looming, I thought it might
be nice to suggest a side dish — roasted
Brussels sprouts — to complement the
feast’s traditional items.
Brussels sprouts are the tiniest member
of the cabbage family. And I’ll confess that I
used to hate them. In the old days they were
not only boiled, but boiled to death, which
generated a truly unfortunate aroma. Happily,
intrepid chefs in recent years have managed
to reinvent (not to say redeem) these little
stinkers in any number of ways.
One of my favorite restaurant preparations
is roasted Brussels sprouts. This recipe cuts
down the time required to prep them as well
as the time they need to spend in the oven.
The right tool for the job, prep-wise, is a food
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you’ve trimmed the bottoms of the sprouts
by hand, it takes no time at all to slice them
thinly with the processor. Once sliced, the
sprouts get tender very quickly in the oven.
How to roast Brussels sprouts? Just as you
would any vegetable. But the goal is not sim-
ply to cook them, but to brown them, which
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hot, 400 F. The vegetables, well-seasoned,
should be spread out in shallow pans. If they
are crowded on top of each other, they will
steam. Not good. You want them to roast.
To ensure the Brussels sprouts have the
desired elbow room, I spread the slices over
multiple sheet pans. This does mean switch-
ing the placement of the pans in the oven
several times during roasting — as well as
stirring the sprouts occasionally — but the
even browning is worth it.
If you’d rather not have to juggle the sheet
pans in the oven at the last minute, you can
cook the sprouts an hour or so ahead of time,
transfer them all to one sheet pan, then warm
them at 350 F for 5 minutes.
Speaking from personal experience, I
promise that this recipe will turn Brussels
sprouts haters into lovers.
———
Sara Moulton was executive chef at
Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years,
and spent a decade hosting several Food
Network shows. She currently stars in public
television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals” and
has written three cookbooks, including “Sara
Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners.”
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
This Feb. 23 photo shows roasted Brussels sprouts with Matzo Walnut crumbs.
Roasted brussels sprouts with
matzo-walnut crumbs
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
This Feb. 23 photo shows one step in the process of making roasted
Brussels sprouts with Matzo Walnut crumbs.
Getting to know the darker side of cardamom
By AARTI SEQUEIRA
Associated Press
If delicate green carda-
mom pods are the queen
of spices, black cardamom
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Like the Disney char-
acter, the spice is shrouded
in a black shell, wrinkled
and gnarled, intimidating at
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sniff. Unlike green carda-
mom’s sweet perfume of
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scent of black cardamom
is intense, rooted in smoke,
camphor and resin.
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apparently only turned
to the dark side once her
wings were clipped (if the
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believed!), I like to think
that black cardamom was
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
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This Feb. 2 photo shows black cardamom orange flourless chocolate cake.
pod before being dried over
This little missy isn’t an
some people assert. She’s
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inferior version of the queen her own personality, thank
marinade of cumin, cinna-
husks and turning her dark,
of spices, as I’ve heard
you very much.
mon, brown sugar and apple
funky and smoky.
Since black cardamom
cider vinegar. Saute a pod in
is such an assertive spice, a
some ghee or butter before
little goes a long way. And
adding rice to make a quick
it works especially well in
aromatic pilaf.
long-cooking preparations,
Or, in a highly unortho-
where the full nuance of the dox (but nevertheless tasty!)
little pod can express itself.
sweet preparation, pair it
,Q,QGLDLWLVXVHGWRÀDYRU with some orange juice, cin-
aromatic curries and some
namon and chocolate in this
versions of a warm spice
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mix called garam masala.
cake, a heady way to end
It’s also found in Chinese
your Passover seder.
cooking and in one of the
———
most famous dishes of Viet-
Food Network star Aarti
nam, pho.
Sequeira is the author of
In your everyday cook-
“Aarti Paarti: An Ameri-
ing,
you
could
add
a
pod
can Kitchen with an Indian
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
Soul.” She blogs at http://
This Feb. 2 photo shows black and green cardamom to your chili, stew or pot
roast. Grind up the seeds
www.AartiPaarti.com .
pods next to some orange slices.
Black cardamom-orange
flourless chocolate cake
6WDUWWR¿QLVK1 1/2 hours (30 minutes active), plus
cooling
6HUYLQJV 12
• Coconut oil
• 1 1/4 cups raw whole almonds (with skins)
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 black cardamom pods
• 7 green cardamom pods
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• Juice and zest of 1 large orange (about 1/2 cup juice
and 2 teaspoons zest)
• 6 large eggs, separated
• Kosher salt
• Powdered sugar, to dust
Heat the oven to 350 F. Rub an even coating of
coconut oil over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
Place the pan on baking sheet and set aside.
In a food processor, combine the almonds and 1/4
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WKHQFRQWLQXHWRSURFHVVXQWLOD¿QHO\PLOOHGSRZGHU
forms.
Using a mortar and pestle, pound both varieties of
cardamom pods until the husks open. Remove and
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Pour into a small bowl. Whisk in the cinnamon, cocoa
powder, and the orange juice and zest until smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup
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cocoa mixture and the almond-chocolate mixture.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whisk the
egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.
Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and
continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
Working in 3 batches, fold the whites into the yolk
mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared springform
pan, then place the sheet pan in the middle of the oven.
Cook for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted
at the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature,
then run a paring knife around the perimeter of the cake
and release the sides of the pan. If desired, dust the cake
with powdered sugar, then cut into thin slices and serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 260 calories; 140
calories from fat (54 percent of total calories); 16 g fat
(5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 110 mg cholesterol; 28 g
FDUERK\GUDWHJ¿EHUJVXJDUJSURWHLQPJ
sodium.
6WDUWWR¿QLVK1 hour (35 minutes active)
6HUYLQJV6
• 1 sheet matzo bread
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
Heat the oven to 350 F. Coat 2 baking sheets with
cooking spray.
Set the matzo on a rimmed baking sheet. Use 1
tablespoon of the olive oil to brush both sides. Season
with salt and pepper. Add the nuts to the sheet pan,
then set in the oven. As soon as the matzo is golden
brown, remove it from the oven. Continue baking the
nuts until toasted, 3 to 4 minutes for pine nuts and 6
to 8 minutes for walnuts. Let the matzo and nuts cool.
Set the matzo and nuts in a zip-close plastic bag,
then pound gently with a mallet or rolling pin until
evenly crushed. Set aside. Increase the oven tempera-
ture to 400 F.
Trim off and discard the ends of the Brussels
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slicing blade, slice the sprouts. Spread the sliced
sprouts evenly between the 2 prepared baking sheets.
Drizzle each pan with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive
oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss
well, then roast on the oven upper shelf until golden
brown, 15 minutes, turning the pans and stirring the
sprouts every 5 minutes.
Transfer the roasted sprouts to a bowl. Add the
matzo-nut mixture, toss well, then serve right away.
Nutrition information per serving: 190 calories;
120 calories from fat (63 percent of total calories); 14
g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg choles-
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protein; 230 mg sodium.
EAT-SHOP-PLAY
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