Revamped: Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts Tossed in a Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette with Bacon Lardons, Dried Cranberries, Candied Pecans, + Crispy Shallots

My recipe for Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts Tossed in a Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette with Bacon Lardons, Dried Cranberries, Candied Pecans, & Crispy Shallots is far and away my most requested + most loved recipe during the holiday season. So, when I started getting organized for our upcoming Thanksgiving meal, I noticed that this recipe is four years old and in need of a desperate "revamping". The recipe is only changed slightly, but I added more detailed instructions to help my follow readers! Like before, it requires the same maple-mustard vinaigrette because I think it pairs with the dish like no one's business... I guess if you're not a mustard fan, you could use a balsamic reduction because that would work quite easily. But really though, listen to me and all the fans of this dish and go with the homemade dressing! Mmk? Good... moving on. Concerning the candied pecans, I will leave that up to you and what you want to do. I personally make the candied pecans, but I have used store-bought candied pecans, and no one even noticed the difference. So, by all means, if you want to save time and cut a corner, then go for it! Now, in a small pan, over medium-low heat, you're going to caramelize + crisp up those thinly sliced yummy shallots; they really bring the dish to another level. Next up on the list is cooking a shit ton of bacon... because bacon makes everything better, duhhhh. Once your bacon lardons are crispy, strain them out of their fat onto a paper towel to dry, leaving the just-rendered bacon fat in the pan. That's when you get the trimmed + halved brussel sprouts and begin to pan fry ... in BACON FAT (dun dun dunnnnnn)! Like I've said, bacon makes everything better. Crisp up the sprout halves until they have begun to brown on their flat side, and then toss all of them around to cook the other side of the brussel sprout. I know some people like their brussel sprouts to have some al dente texture, while others prefer a softer finished product. Either way, just cook them until they have reached your desired doneness. If you don't have a large saute pan that can fit all of your brussel sprouts, you might have to do 2-3 batches of them. But, thats no biggie at all! Now it's time to assemble this yummy side dish. In a large mixing bowl, add in the bacon-fat fried brussel sprouts, bacon lardons, dried cranberries, crisped shallots, and chopped candied pecans... all that is left to do is to toss all of the components together while drizzling the maple-mustard vinaigrette evenly over the dish. I suggest that you start off with just a little, and add as you go until you have the perfect amount of dressing that coats everything beautifully. And wham, bam, thank ya ma'am... YOU'RE DONE!! If you want to get a head start on this dish you could easily do any of the following: trim and halve the brussel sprouts and place them into a ziploc bag, make the candied pecans, and whip up the maple-mustard vinaigrette in a mason jar and refrigerate it. That way, you'll have most of the components done + all ready to start cooking! I hope you enjoy this holiday side dish as much as everyone else does!! Enjoy :)

Mmm, bacon lardons

golden brown + crispy shallots 

My Famous Brussel Sprouts in 2015 

So yeah, you have to make these... You'll thank me later!

For the Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette:

2T EVOO

2T Apple Cider Vinegar

4T Maple Syrup

2t Dijon Mustard

2T Grainy Mustard

2t Garlic, Minced

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

For Candied Pecans:

1 ½C Pecans, Toasted

½C Sugar

Pinch of Salt, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cayenne, & Chili Powder (I did a large pinch)

For the Crispy Shallots:

4-6 Large Shallots, Thinly Sliced

3T Canola Oil

Kosher Salt

For the Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts:

1T EVOO

1.5lbs Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into Lardons

2T Canola Oil

5lbs Brussel Sprouts, Trimmed and Halved

Prepared Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

1 ½C Dried Cranberries (save a handful for garnishing the dish)

Prepared Candied Pecans, Roughly Chopped (save a handful for garnishing the dish)

Prepared Crispy Shallots

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:

1. For the Maple Mustard Vinaigrette: In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until combined. Season it with salt & pepper to taste. Refrigerate the dressing aside until ready to add to the brussel sprouts.

2. For the Candied Pecans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes until just toasted. Remove from the oven and let it cool. Meanwhile, pour the sugar into a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon while the sugar melts. Keep stirring until the color turns a medium amber color. Once that color is reached, add in the pecans to the pan and quickly stir to coat. As soon as they are coated, spread them onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. Let them cool completely before adding them to the dish (after they have hardened, you can chose whether or not you want to chop them up or leave them whole).

3. For the Crispy Shallots: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add in the canola oil. Next, toss in the thinly sliced shallots, along with a heavy pinch of salt and sauté them, stirring occasionally, until the shallots caramelize to a golden brown color and start to get a little crispy.  It is very important to not rush this process, so keep a constant eye on the shallots because they can burn quite quickly.  Remove the perfectly crisped shallots from the pan and put them into a bowl, and set them aside until you are ready to assemble the dish.

4. Crisping up the Bacon Lardons: In a large, deep sauté pan, bring the olive oil to medium-high heat and in the bacon cubes. Cook the bacon until they are very crispy and the bacon has rendered all of its fat. Remove the crispy bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate (leaving the fat in the pan).

5. For the Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts: Add in the vegetable oil into the rendered bacon fat and bring it to high heat. Gently place the halved brussel sprouts face side down (or the flat side), and season with salt & pepper. Cook them until they have browned and caramelized, and they have become slightly crispy in texture, about 10-15 minutes (if you have a big enough sauté pan to fit all of your brussel sprouts, then extend the time of cooking to 20-25 minutes; however, if you do not, then you will have to do several batches in order for all of the brussel sprouts to reach your required crispiness and doneness). After they have browned, using tongs, toss the brussel spouts to continue sautéing to cook the brussel sprouts all the way through, about 3-5 minutes (I prefer my brussel sprouts on the crisper side, but some people like to cook them longer until they are soft).

6. Assembling the Dish: Once they have all been cooked and have reached your desired doneness, remove the cooked brussel sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the prepared maple-mustard vinaigrette over the cooked brussel sprouts, tossing to cover all of them. Add in the bacon lardons, dried cranberries and chopped candied pecans, and toss once again. Season with salt & pepper if needed. Place the glazed brussel sprouts onto a serving platter and garnish with the remaining handfuls of dried cranberries, candied pecans and the crispy shallots. Serve immediately and enjoy while they are still warm!!

Herbed, Roasted Chicken Salad Fresh Raspberries, Crumbled Gorgonzola, Praline Pecans, Chopped Fuji Apple, Shaved Red Onion, Spring Lettuce Mix, + Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

Springtime is quickly approaching the South, y'all. This can only mean that I can enjoy the weather outside on our porch for hours on end, go to the local farmer's market, and make yummy meals that are so fresh that they don't weigh you down. It's truly a gorgeous sight to see when all of Buckhead's flowers begin to bloom and I can actually enjoy it with the top down of my convertible. So when we went to the grocery store yesterday, we were craving something light and refreshing, and ultimately a salad is what we decided on. It begins with herbed, roasted chicken that is unbelievably moist. The rest of the recipe is easy-peasy. You just add all of the ingredients into a large salad bowl and toss it together. I love the balance of flavor that you get when adding fruit and cheese... one is slightly acidic + sweet while the other is creamy + salty. Raspberries and Gorgonzola just seems to be a match made in heaven, quite honestly. And hey, all cheese pairs beautifully with apples as well. But the other ingredients play their part as well, the thinly shaved red onion gives the dish a pop, the praline pecans give it some crunch, and the spring lettuce mix just soaks all of that goodness up. I love to pair creamy poppy seed dressing with any kind of fruit salad, so I made a classic recipe that is boosted up with some garlic, lemon zest, and white balsamic reduction. Really all you have to do is toss the salad together and enjoy :)

For the Herbed, Roasted Chicken:

2 Skin-On, Bone-In Chicken Breasts

2T Dried Herbs (we used a mixture of basil, thyme, oregano, & cilantro)

2T Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

2-3T White Balsamic Reduction

¼C Fresh Herbs (we used a mixture of basil, thyme, parsley, & oregano

¼t Dried Red Pepper Flakes

For the Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing:

¾C Mayo

¼C Buttermilk or Heavy Cream (you can add a little more or a little less if you want it thicker)

3T White Balsamic Reduction

6T Sugar

8t Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Lemon, Zested

1 Garlic Clove, Finely Grated using a Microplane

4t Poppy Seeds

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Salad:

Prepared Herbed Roasted Chicken, Pulled into Pieces

6oz Spring Lettuce Mix

8oz Fresh Raspberries

1C Praline Pecans (roughly chopped)

½C Crumbled Gorgonzola

½ of a Red Onion, Thinly Shaved or Sliced

1 Fuji Apple, Diced

Prepared Poppy Seed Dressing

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with Pam.

2. For the Herbed, Roasted Chicken: Start off by washing and drying the chicken breasts and then toss them in the mixed dried herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the chicken breasts in the prepared pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Once they have cooled, discard the skin, remove the meat from the bones, and pull the chicken into bite size pieces by hand. Place the pulled chicken into a small mixing bowl and toss it with the white balsamic reduction, fresh herbs, and dried red pepper flakes. Season it to taste with more salt and pepper if needed. Set the chicken aside while you assemble the salad.

3. For the Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing: Put the mayo into a mixing bowl and whisk until it is smooth with no lumps remaining. Slowly drizzle in the milk, whisking to combine; until you have reached you desired thickness. Finely grate a lemon for its’ zest and a large clove of garlic using a Microplane, and add it into the mayo mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients and season to your liking. Set aside while you make the salad.

4. For the Salad: In a large salad bowl, add in the spring mix, fresh raspberries, chopped praline pecans, crumbled Gorgonzola, shaved red onion, diced Fuji apple, and herbed roasted chicken. Toss those ingredients together until they are evenly distributed throughout the spring lettuce mix. Lastly you can either add the dressing, and then coat the entire salad with the dressing or you can serve the salads individually and drizzle the dressing over the top of each portion. 

New Orleans "King Cake" Cronuts with a Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Custard Filling, Toasted Pecan Sugar, Bourbon Glaze, + Festive Mardi Gras Sprinkles

As many of y'all know, my Mountain Man and I made a trip recently to New Orleans for New Years Eve. And although it was the greatest trip... you know the part where I fractured my foot about 30 minutes after leaving our hotel room. Yeah that part sucked, so did the crutches, and being cooped up in our hotel room for three days, but I still was able to explore the city for one day. And that one day drew a bunch of inspiration for future recipes. I know I want to make some beignets, a fried green tomato + shrimp remoulade po'boy, bacon pecan pralines, and a king cake. Well I took all of that food to heart and used it as inspiration for some upcoming recipes. So today we're taking a glance at King Cake, with a delightful twist. For the last year, I think the country has been enamored with the new pastry concoction that marries a croissant with a doughnut. You might know them by name, the infamous "Cronut". I've made about 5 versions at home and featured two recipes on this blog. So what do you get when a Cronut and King Cake come together? A KING CAKE CRONUT. And it's just about as good as it gets when it comes to pastry confections. I started off by making the Cronut dough, which involves making a yeast based dough that is laminated with some sticks of softened butter. I began this process about two days before because I wanted to take my time and not rush any of the components. After all that tedious folding, I used a doughnut cutter to make them into the specific doughnut shape, and then I moved onto everything else. Most King Cake recipes involve the following ingredients... the cake itself, brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and bourbon (if you're lucky). So, a filling of a Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Pastry Cream seemed to be a necessity. It is thick, luscious, smooth, and perfectly oozes in between the flaky layers of the croissant. After frying the Cronuts to a crisp, golden brown, I let them cool before I filled them with the pastry cream. Meanwhile, I toasted some pecans in a  pan and pulsed them with some sugar to make a Toasted Pecan Rolling Sugar. Then it was time to fill the insides of the Cronuts with the chilled pastry cream, followed by rolling the entire thing in the pecan sugar. By far the best part of this whole recipe is decorating the King Cake Cronut. I whipped up a thick bourbon-infused glaze to squeeze on top of the Cronut before finishing it with Mardi Gras-inspired purple, green, and yellow sparkling sugars. Not only do they look amazing, but they taste even better!! Just for some advice, two regular ole squeeze bottles with me needed to complete the recipe... one to inject the filling into the Cronut and one for the bourbon glaze on top. Now since I live in Georgia, I went on quite the escapade to find some miniature babies to top the King Cake Cronuts with, but to no such luck. So instead, we did tiny pigs, which seemed fitting considering that we are bacon-fanactics and we were slightly depressed that we couldn't incorporate any pork products into this pastry. Oh well, the pig is there as a stand-in, and might I add, I think they are adorable :) Now I completely understand that this project seems daunting, but every now + then I love to completely challenge myself culinarily, so I really enjoyed the whole process of it all. And hey, getting a real Cronut from NYC is harder than making them at home. Once you finish, just stand back and enjoy the creation you have completed... before eating everything single one!! Enjoy :)

some cronut frying action

the perks of frying cronuts... eating the holes right away :)

a cronut after being injected with the pastry cream

all tossed in some toasted pecan rolling sugar

hereeeeee piggy piggy pig

oink oink

oh yes those layers + pastry cream oozing

For the Cronuts:

¾C Milk, Warmed

1T Active Dry Yeast

1/3C Sugar

2 Large eggs

1t Vanilla Extract

3 ½C AP Flour (divided)

1t Kosher Salt

1 Cup of Butter (or two sticks), at least room temperature  

Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Custard Filling:

1 ½C Whole Milk

¾C Brown Sugar

¼C Cake Flour

½t Sea Salt

1T Cinnamon

4 Large Egg Yolks

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

2t Vanilla Extract 

½t Butter Extract

¼t Almond Extract    

For the Toasted Pecan Sugar:

1C Toasted Pecans

1C Granulated Sugar

For the Bourbon Glaze:

2C Confectioners’ Sugar

Pinch of Salt

2T Whole Milk

1T Bourbon

¼t Vanilla Extract

 

For the King Cake Cronuts:

Prepared Cronut Dough, Cut into Doughnut Rounds

Chilled Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Custard Filling (put into a squeeze bottle)

Prepared Toasted Pecan Rolling Sugar

Prepared Bourbon Glaze (put into a squeeze bottle)

Purple, Green, & Yellow Sparkling Sugar Sprinkles, For Decorating

Directions: 

1. Prepping the Cronuts: In the bowl of a standing mixer, stir together the warmed milk and yeast. Stir in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well. Add a cup of flour and the salt, and then gradually add another 2 ¼C of flour, stirring and then kneading for a few minutes, until it’s smooth, elastic, and still a little bit tacky. Transfer to a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, beat the butter and remaining ¼C of AP Flour with an electric mixer for a couple minutes, scraping down the sides of a bowl, until smooth. When the dough has chilled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle that is about ¼inch thick. Spread the butter evenly over the dough, and then fold it as you would a letter, in thirds. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for another 30 minutes to an hour.

2. Laminating the Dough: Pull the dough back out and put it back onto the floured surface, with the open sides facing the left and right. Roll it out into another rectangle that is ¼inch thick. Fold the left third over the middle, and then the right third over the middle (this is referred to a “turn”). Chill the dough for another 30 minutes to an hour. Roll, fold, and refrigerate the dough two more times, so that is had been “turned” for a total of four times. Cover and refrigerate it for at least an hour or preferably overnight.

3. For the Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Custard Filling: In a medium saucepan, heat milk over medium-high heat until bubbles just start to form around the edges but milk is not yet boiling. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and vanilla bean seeds until well combined; slowly whisk in flour mixture until thick and pasty. Remove milk from heat and slowly add to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer egg mixture to saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 3 minutes. Boil, whisking, for 10 seconds, and immediately remove from heat. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a small heatproof bowl; stir in vanilla extract, butter extract, and almond extract. Strain into a plastic squeeze bottle and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

4. For the Toasted Pecan Rolling Sugar: Toast 1C of Pecans in a sauté pan over medium heat. Continuously move the nuts around, so that they will not get burned. Once they have reached a nutty fragrance and slightly browned, they are done! This should only take a few minutes. Place the toasted (make sure to cool first) pecans into a food processor and pulse until small grind has been achieved. Add in the cup of sugar and continue to process until you have a finely ground pecan sugar. Pour into a bowl and set aside until you are ready to use.

5. Frying the Cronuts: Cut the dough, using a doughnut cutter, into rounds (it should make about 12 Cronuts total). In a heavy pot, heat a couple inches of oil to 350 degrees and a scrap of the dough sizzles when you dip it in. Cook the Cronuts in batches, without crowding the pot (because that can cool down the oil), flipping as necessary until they reach a golden brown color. Transfer to a baking sheet, lined with paper towels, and let them sit until excess oil is completely soaked up. Next, move them to a cooling rack.

6. For the Bourbon Glaze: Add all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together until a smooth, cohesive glaze has been made. Pour this white glaze into a squeeze bottle and set aside until you are ready to use it.

7. Assembling the Cronuts: It is now time to start filling the fried Cronuts. I did this “Twinkie-style” by using the squeeze bottle that is filled with the brown sugar-cinnamon pastry cream. Gently poke holes into the bottom of a Cronut and fill them all the way through with cream. Repeat this process until you have about 5-6 cream filling holes in each Cronut. Scrape off any excess cream that begins to ooze out. Now that they have all been filled, roll them in the toasted pecan sugar before placing them back onto the cooling rack (make sure the poke holes are facing up) and squeeze some of the prepared bourbon glaze in a circle around the top of the Cronut.

8. Finishing the Cronuts: Garnish the top of the glazed Cronuts with the purple, green, and yellow colored sparkling sugars, making sure to alternate colors, that way you form bands. Let them cool and enjoy!!

A Southern Inspired Version of Yotam Ottolenghi's Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce

Roasted Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce, Pomegranates, Candied Pecans,
Candied Jalapenos, Chives, + Balsamic Reduction

Have y'all seen any of Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbooks yet? I think he has about three out right now, I only own the one, Plenty. And even though, it is far from my cuisine of choice, I am so intrigued by his flavor combination, uses of veggies & herbs, and his beautiful photography. Although he includes protein in some of his recipes, most of them are vegetarian, which I love because I don't cook nearly enough those kinda dishes... mine almost all have to have bacon in them. Of course. The recipe that really pulled me in was his Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce. The picture was so gorgeous and inviting, but had the perfect rustic touch to it! I knew I had to make it, but with a southern spin.... haha, no brainer there. The eggplants are halved and cross-hatched before they are drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning (instead of za'tar). Once you've roasted them it's time to garnish them with a'whole'lotta crap. YAY for crap! I included the buttermilk sauce & pomegranates, like Ottolenghi, but I also scattered some chopped candied pecan, candied jalapenos, chives, and a balsamic reduction drizzle over the top. I decided to use a balsamic reduction, but I think a pomegranate reduction or pepper jelly drizzle would be just as fab as well, so it's up to y'all! I absolutely adore how the pictures turned out, they are so bright + vibrant, and I think they would be the perfect addition to your summer table. But go ahead and make it now, it's really pretty any time of the year!! Enjoy :)

For the Eggplant:

2 Large + Long Eggplants, Sliced in Half Lengthways

1/3C Olive Oil

½t Dried Basil + Dried Oregano

Fleur de Sel & Fresh Cracked Pepper

1t Cajun Seasoning

For the Buttermilk Sauce:

9T Buttermilk (well-shaken)

½C Sour Cream

1 ½T Melted Bacon Fat or Olive Oil

1 Garlic Clove, Minced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For Garnishing:

Pomegranate Seeds

Fresh Chives, Minced

Homemade Candied Pecans, Roughly Chopped

Homemade Candied Jalapenos, Finely Chopped

Balsamic Reduction, Pomegranate Reduction, or Pepper Jelly (for drizzling)

Directions:

1. Preparing the Eggplant:Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, cutting straight through the green stalk (the stalk is for the look; don't eat it). Use a small sharp knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through to the skin. Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped pattern.
2. Roasting the Eggplant:Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with olive oil, keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme leaves and some salt and pepper. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, at which point the flesh should be soft, flavorful, and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
3. For the Sauce:Whisk together all of the ingredients until a smooth consistency has formed. Season with salt & pepper. Keep chilled until you are ready to use.
4. Serving the Eggplant: Place the roasted eggplant halves onto a serving plate and spoon plenty of the buttermilk sauce over the halves. Sprinkle the top of the sauce with some more Cajun seasoning, and then drizzle on some balsamic reduction/pomegranate reduction/pepper jelly (of your choosing). Scatter plenty of pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, candied jalapenos, and freshly minced chives. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy!

here are some #instagrub pictures :)