Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting recipes, videos and directions for a fool-proof Thanksgiving!  Here’s the first of our simple side dishes: Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmigiano Reggiano and Lemon.  Keep checking back for more recipes, as well as a guide to holiday food-prepping that will minimize your work come Turkey Day! 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

These delicious veggies are a perfect Thanksgiving accompaniment, but are delicious any time, no special occasion required!

• 1.5 pounds Brussels Sprouts, halved and stems removed
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil 
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
• Zest of one lemon (reserve lemon for the juice) 
• 2 TBSP Lemon Juice (half a lemon) 
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 

Preheat your oven to 400 Degrees F. Toss the Brussels Sprouts, olive oil, salt, pepper and zest in a large bowl.  Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until browned.  Toss them once during the roasting process to ensure even baking. Remove them from the oven and coat with lemon juice and parmigiano reggiano.  Toss to combine all the flavors, and serve!  

Happy Thanksgiving! 

I love butter. I REALLY love butter. I love it melted, whipped, clarified, or cold.  But then a few years back when I came across Beurre Monté in Thomas Keller’s French Laundry Cookbook, I realized this was perhaps the perfect application of butter.  You see, Beurre Monté is melted butter that remains emulsified.  Once butter reaches about 160 degrees, it separates into the milk solids and the fat (that fat is how you get clarified butter).  But using this simple technique, you can melt the butter and keep it heated up to 190 degrees without that separation occurring, resulting in a silky-smooth butter sauce that’s both gorgeous and delicious.  What does Thomas Keller use Beurre Monté for? Poaching lobster of course. Ah the decadence.  I would expect nothing less.  

Pizza is the perfect food.  It’s delicious, versatile, and good for you.  At least that’s what I tell myself.  But no matter how good your local pizzeria is, sometimes nothing compares to a pie you make yourself.  And the best part about pizza is that you can be creative, feed a crowd and please everyone all at the same time.  A few weeks back when I hosted a Food, Inc. potluck, I decided to make four wildly different pizzas and see what was most popular.  To my surprise, the crowd favorite was not a heavy pie loaded with organic cured meats or one with truffle oil, but instead a simple shaved lemon and rosemary creation. Who knew? 

The key to this pizza is having paper thin slices of the lemon and the red onion - this way the onion is not overpowering and the lemon rind is not bitter.  While a mandolin could be useful here, a sharp chef’s knife and a little guided patience will do the trick.   If you’re looking to save some time and energy, pick up a ball of dough from your favorite pizzeria.  It will run you somewhere between $3-5 and you can make two pizzas out of it!  Bisect the ball on the equator to keep the dough round.  

Or you could be adventurous and try your own dough recipe like this one here. 

Either way, I promise it will be like nothing you’ve ever had. 

LEMON ROSEMARY PIZZA

• 1 ball of pizza dough, bisected and rolled to a 12” diameter
• olive oil 
• 1 small lemon, thinly sliced 
• half a red onion
• 2 Tbsp chopped rosemary 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 lb parmiggiano reggiano 
• salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Place the rolled dough on a pizza stone or oiled sheet pan.  Brush the dough with olive oil and arrange the lemon and red onion all over, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge of the pizza.  Sprinkle the garlic and rosemary on the top.  Using a vegetable peeler, shave long strips of parmiggiano reggiano all over the pizza, then using a microplane, grate the rest to finish.  Salt and pepper to taste. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.  Once the crust is golden brown, it’s ready. Slice it up, and dig in! 

*Looking for an impressive brunch idea?  Serve this pizza alongside an arugula salad with a citrus vinaigrette.  Oh, and mimosas wouldn’t hurt either!