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Charred Brussels Sprouts Crostini

by 40 Comments

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Hi, friends!  How was your weekend?

 

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Ours was pretty challenging and exhausting, so we’re keeping things short on this Monday.

 

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We had an emergency situation again with Chris’ dad who requires 24/7 care.

 

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So, we’re just going to ease into this Monday with a simple Charred Brussels Sprouts Crostini appetizer that’s totally easy and says everything festive holiday party to me!  At least everything that doesn’t involve cookies,  sugar, and butter.

 

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I happened to be watching the Food Network (shocking, I know) a couple of weeks ago and Giada was doing some kind of holiday business.  She made these Brussels crostini with cranberries and ricotta and I was totally sucked in.

 

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I really loved the idea of slicing the sprouts really thin and charring them under the broiler.  I can do that now that I have my new (Jan 2015) oven that has a broiler in the oven instead of the janky one I used to have that had a drawer and fire situation.  That thing was so not cool.

 

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Anyway, this crostini was delicious and you should totally add it to your holiday appetizer menu!

 

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Have a fantastic week, y’all!

 

Charred Brussels Sprouts Crostini
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Charred Brussels Sprouts Crostini

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts shaved or sliced into very thin slices
  • 1/4 cup olive oil plus 1-2 tablespoons for crostini
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pinch red pepper flakes - or more if you like things spicy
  • 1 1/4 cups ricotta
  • 24 1/2 inch thick slices baguette

Instructions

  1. Combine sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, 2-4 minutes
  2. Remove from heat, add cranberries, and set aside
  3. Combine Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoons of the salt, and red pepper flakes, toss to coat and transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet
  4. Broil in top 1/2 of oven for 6 minutes, stirring halfway through and rotating pan if necessary to get all browned
  5. Remove from oven, toss in bowl with the cranberry mixture, set aside
  6. Heat oven to 400
  7. Transfer bread slices to a baking sheet, use 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil to brush all the bread slices
  8. Toast in oven for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown and toasty
  9. Stir together ricotta, 1/4 teaspoon, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until well combined
  10. Spread each bread slice with ricotta, top with Brussels and cranberry mixture

Adapted very slightly from Giada DeLaurentiis

Note:  Giada topped hers with pine nuts.  I left them off because I don’t like them, so either add them, leave them off, or I think some toasted almonds would be great too.

Roasted Fig, Prosciutto, Ricotta French Bread Pizza

by 42 Comments

Figs.  Dude.  They’re totally my downfall.

 

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Y’all, I really don’t know what in tarnation comes over me at the Teeter when I see the figs.  I turn into some kind of a crazy person and have to scoop up every box in the cooler – and there are usually only about 4 or 5 boxes.  I just have this compulsion to hoard them all to myself.  NO FIGS FOR ANYONE ELSE!

 

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I then realize the extent of my craziness, the error of my ways, and attempt to hide boxes of figs all over the place.  They’re in the produce drawer of the fridge, hidden behind the OJ on the top shelf, and my worst offense – the crisper drawers in the garage beer fridge.  I have not stooped so low (yet) to store them in the kegerator, but give me time, friends.  Give me time.

 

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I always get busted.  Chris will start looking for something to pack for lunch or decide he needs a beer and piles of figs start falling like rain.  Or like skeletons from my closet.

 

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Then he’s all, “WTF are you going to do with all these figs, chick?”  Or “Lucy, you have some ‘splainin’ to do!”  Either way I’ve got to do some quick thinking.

 

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Ummmm….. I totally plan to make you something AWESOME!

 

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Yeah, that’s it.  Because I always have a plan.

 

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Roasted Fig, Prosciutto, and Ricotta French Bread Pizza

Ingredients

  • 8 Figs top with stem sliced off and halved lengthwise
  • Juice of 1 small or 1/2 of a large orange
  • 6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 12 inch loaf French bread cut in half then sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1 15 ounce container of ricotta cheese
  • 12 thin slices of prosciutto
  • 1 cup arugula

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425
  2. Arrange fig halves in a baking dish, cut side up
  3. Drizzle the juice from the orange over the figs and lay the thyme sprigs on top
  4. Roast the figs for about 15 minutes
  5. Remove figs from oven and set aside
  6. Reduce oven temp to 375
  7. While the figs are roasting caramelize the onions
  8. Melt the butter and olivie oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat
  9. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat with the butter and olive oil, cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, caramelized, and brown in color, 20-30 minutes - be careful not to burn them
  10. Arrange the 4 pieces of bread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cut side up
  11. Divide the ricotta evenly between the 4 pieces of bread, spreading it evenly over each one
  12. Add 3 pieces of prosciutto to each of the pieces of bread
  13. Top each with 4 fig halves, then evenly divide the caramelized onions over the figs
  14. Bake 7-9 minutes
  15. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula prior to serving