We've all been there. It's barely January, and you've already exhausted every butternut squash, kale, and root veggie recipe in your arsenal. Throughout the first few weeks of fall, you tried in earnest to keep the spirit of winter vegetables alive; you roasted them, mashed them, stewed, and sautéed -- but now it's still cold out, and coming up with innovative recipes seems like a pretty arduous task.
Before you resign yourself to another night of boring roasted brussels sprouts (let's be real, that's soooo2013,) take some inspiration from St. Francis's Winter Menu. They're currently featuring three delicious brussels sprout dishes that could take your seasonal vegetable game to the next level.
See also: Vegetable Hot Pot at Mother Bunch Brewing: Healthy Comfort Food
Ever our farm-to-table heroes, St. Francis sources their brussels sprouts from McClendon's Farm in Peoria. They then pair them with other local ingredients to produce the following dishes.
Shaved Cauliflower Salad
Let this salad be an inspiration to us all: winter vegetables do not need to be drowned in cream sauce or steamed to mush. This bright, balanced, and flavorful salad features shaved cauliflower (obviously), brussels sprouts, pomegranate arils, croutons, almonds, and fried capers. A little salt, a little sweet, and a little acidic lemon vinaigrette make it a great starter to any meal.
Parmesan Risotto
The portion size at St. Francis was just right for this dish. The richness of the risotto was perfectly balanced by tangy, sweet brussels sprouts, which managed to be tender without succumbing to gooiness. A sprinkle of crunchy pea-sized bread crumbs gave this dish some textural diversity. Caramelized in butter and sherry vinegar, the brussels sprouts were immensely flavorful - we'll definitely be trying this one at home.
Vegetable Flatbread
There are few words in the English language more beautiful than "woodfired flatbread." St. Francis's seasonal vegetable pizza features crispy ribbons of tuscan kale, whole roasted grapes, a bit of salty parmesan, a sweet, creamy gorgonzola dolce, and of course, McClendon's brussels sprouts. A sparse sprinkling of mustard seeds gave the dish an unexpected flair that brightened all the other flavors. If you're not into the whole gluten thing, leave out the crust and try this as a warm side-dish. The combination of sweet grapes, gorgonzola, brussels sprouts, mustard, and crispy kale won't dare let you down.
