Stoemp aux Choux de Bruxelles et Carottes

Well, its been a pretty long time - so I thought I'd at least make it look like I've been productive with my time by posting a recipe I'm trying out. I will try to post a play by play with photos, but my phone is sort of picky about which pictures it decides to send through.

So, the dish is a Belgian one called Stoemp aux Choux de Bruxelles et Carottes (or, Mashed Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts and Carrots). I know what you're thinking, "Brussels Sprouts?!", but this Stoemp dish is supposed to be a specialty in Belgium - so I'm hoping that my taste buds have matured since childhood and I will actually like the sprouts. By the way, they aren't just called Brussels Sprouts for the heck of it; both the British and the French acknowledge Belgium as being the birthplace of these little shoots. (And right here I would have a cute little picture of fresh Brussels Sprouts, but its one of the pictures my phone didn't like.)

So, on to the recipe. Perhaps a more accurate title for this dish would be Mashed Brussels Sprouts with a little Carrot and Potato, because you will need:

1 lb. Brussels Sprouts (fresh if you can find them at Whole Foods or a similar store)
7 oz. carrots
10 oz. potatoes (I just used regular russet)
4 tbsp. butter (aww, yeah)
bouquet garni (you can cheat like me and just throw in some parsley, thyme and bay leaf)
salt/pepper
nutmeg

1. Halve the Brussels Sprouts and peel the carrots and cut them into thirds. Then cook them over medium in 2 tbsp of the butter for about 10 minutes.


2. Next, cover the vegetables in water and add salt/pepper and the bouquet garni, bring it to a boil and then boil for 5 minutes.



3. Peel the potatoes and cut into large pieces, then add them to the vegetables and boil for another 10-15 minutes.

4. Finally, pour off the water, add the butter and nutmeg, and mash it up! Add more salt/pepper if it needs it. (By the way, the last picture truly highlights how poor my camera is - the dish did not look that bad!)


That's it! Having tasted it now, I wasn't blown away, but its a very tasty way to get part of your vegetables for the day.

I'm thinking of taking this blog in a new direction; but I need to gather more creative juices. Look to see some more creative topics in the future.

Left Turns

I am a sucker. I am easily influenced by popular media: television programs, music, movies (heck yeah on movies), and sadly - television commercials. However, on this particular occasion I have not been influenced to go out and buy a Nissan Pathfinder. But a commercial of theirs has persuaded me to try something new, and completely pointless, this weekend. I just witnessed a commercial in which some young chap was yammering on endlessly about the possibilities of discovery when one chooses to drive their Nissan by only taking left turns....or something to that effect. To be honest, I zoned out after the first few utterances. But the idea did stick with me. I have decided that this Saturday (for I need a day that is empty and full of potential), barring foul weather or a hot date with a young femme fatale, I shall embark on a Left Turns Only adventure. (Actually, going straight is also allowed.) I generally park on the street - so I shall start my journey by heading due east on Longview St and continuing until I must turn left. This procedure will be repeated until I start getting scared or bored; at which time I will abandon the left turn rule and head home. I'm sure the stories will be glorious - so be sure to stay tuned for updates.

Currently Listening to....

I recently bought "Blacklisted", by Neko Case. If you like Alt-Country, or Diana Krall (because Neko is sort of a cross between the two) then you should definitely check her out.