The Best of FKIA: Warm Brussels Sprout Salad for Thanksgiving Dinner

I've never been a fan of green bean casserole at Thanksgiving, although for some reason unfathomable to me, it has become a seasonal classic. I'll pass on it this year and make the following dish, which I discovered two years ago.


I buy Brussels sprouts each week; along with broccoli and red pepper they are staples in my crisper. Shallots are also something I almost always keep on hand.

Warm Brussels Sprout and Shallot Salad with Pecans

16-20 large Brussels sprouts
3-4 large shallots
tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
tablespoon unsalted butter
dash freshly ground pepper
dash fleur de sel

Wash and trim Brussels sprouts, removing outer leaves and base. Cut into thin slices. Drizzle with olive oil, toss, and place in a skillet or sauté pan. Brown slightly over medium heat until sprouts are just a bit limp. Remove from pan and set aside, covering to keep warm. Peel and slice shallots; using the same pan, brown shallots slightly in butter. Add pecans. Toss shallots and pecans with Brussels sprouts, adding a dash of fleur de sel and pepper.

I served this with a warm bacon dressing. A cranberry vinaigrette would be nice, too, or a mustard-y oil and vinegar blend.


So tell me: What is your green vegetable this Thanksgiving?

Note: I forgot to add that portions of this post originally ran on Dec. 25, 2007.

Comfort Food For Dark Times

It was three years ago that I learned my friend T. had cancer. She called me on a Saturday, as I was about to leave for a volunteer commitment.

I was, to use a word I learned from my friend F., gobsmacked. It made me teary all day, and when someone snapped at me at my volunteer job, I nearly burst into tears. You know that feel you have of tears welling up behind your eyes. It burns and you ache.

I will be quite honest with you, my dear friends. That is how I feel today. Sadly, many times we learn in life that opportunities turn out to be traps.

So allow me to rerun this post from Dec. 5, 2006:

"There is no escaping life's ups and downs. Sometimes after a day of bad news or unpleasant situations, it's good to come home and shut out the world and burrow under a warm quilt.

The best food for these occasions is something a bit homey and rustic, maybe made from odds and ends and whatever you have on hand.

This rustic tart is such a dish. You can make it with your favorite pie crust or even use a pre-made crust.

Rustic Walnut-Apple-Pear Tart

3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/8 cup Splenda-brown sugar mix
2 tablespoons butter
2 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup sugar or fructose
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
dash cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pat pie crust into tart pan, rolling back the edges and doubling before crimping.

Sauté chopped walnuts in brown sugar and butter. Pour into tart pan, spreading them onto the bottom of the crust in a layer.

Mix sugar, butter and spices in large bowl. Toss apple and pear slices in this mixture. When thoroughlyy coated, later the slices into tart, atop the walnuts. Drizzle remaining sugar and butter and spices on top. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, until crust browns and filling bubbles.

Serve with whipped cream or even yogurt or enjoy it plain. You could even top it with a strussal-type topping or one made of walnuts, sugar and butter.

It's gooey and a little chewy. The sweetness is tempered a bit by the lemon peel.

Note: I used the pears and apples I had on hand, but I recommend Golden Delicious apples and Bartlett pears. The dessert is very crumbly when cut — but it's supposed to be a casual dessert for, say, a weekend at home. So don't worry about impressing anyone, just enjoy it!"

T, by the way, is well again. I will have lunch with her tomorrow.

Squash and More Squash: What's Your Current Comfort Food?

Today was one of those days of water-y light, of a pale sun slipping gamely though putty colored clouds. I took a later noon hour and picked up a wonderful chicken curry salad at the Italian Market. Chef V, about to open his own restaurant, knows my weaknesses and he lured me over to the deli counter. I succumbed.

Among my comfort foods are salmon, rice, eggplant, and squash.

What are yours just now? If you are like me - and I think you might be - they change with the season.

Roasting Squash on a Dark Night

Gaining an hour of sleep on a weekend when you are flattened by the flu is a treat to be savored and appreciated.

The tradeoff is that darkness comes early. I stepped outside at dusk and was rewarded by the sharp, sweet aroma of woodsmoke and the bosky, earthy smell of fallen leaves.

In recent years, all my autumns have been enjoyed on the fly, a snatch here and a bit there. I try to make the most of those moments of enchantment that are best enjoyed when you have the time to enjoy them.

I'm not complaining. That's how it is. I am grateful for what I have.

But I do recall a time 14 years ago before I went back to work as someone's employee. I'd put my little public relations business on hold, and I had taken a break before I searched for a job. My days were spent raking leaves, walking along the river and through neighborhoods of stately old homes, and cooking and baking. I had time to shop for bargains, and we ate well: Stews and soups and stuffed pork chops and chicken Normandy.

I had time to savor it all, to drink in the wine-rich air of autumn and enjoy life. I prepared for Halloween, carving my little jack-o-lantern on a balmy afternoon, one eye on the clock so I would have it ready for the trick-or-treaters. The day ended with a drive around town with my neighbor, K., a Halloween lover who wanted company as she cruised the streets looking for elaborate Halloween displays.

The next two days were dark and gray and damp, and I stayed in my kitchen with pots of spicy apple tea. I'd brought my pumpkin inside, and kept its candle going for a day or two after the holiday, reluctant to let go of the season.

Snow came early that year, and so did bad news: My husband was laid off the week before Thanksgiving. Although he eventually went back to work and I found a job in the interim, it was a lean winter.

There was no discontent. We managed well, and although my job was two steps down the career ladder for me, I stayed for 10 years and began to love it and the people I worked with. Times are better now, and we are thankful for continued employment in this challenging year.

On these dark fall nights, I remain grateful and enjoy the produce of the season. Squash is simple. I roast it, and serve it with butter. Nothing could be easier or more comforting as we prepare for the coming winter.