(vegan)
It is barely September, but nonetheless, each year right after Labor Day somehow emits the first subtle signs in the air that autumn is just around the corner. Maybe this isn’t so unusual for folks living in seasonal climates, but in Florida one might not think it would be so obvious. Personally, it’s my favorite time of the year. It’s a time of comfort food, Halloween, and spending lots of time on the patio because summer’s stifling heat and humidity have finally melted away to reveal a refreshing new crispness. For me, it is the fall that is my springtime renewal.
At the Fresh Market today, all sorts of autumn fruits and vegetables were already beginning to make their debuts, overflowing out of their bins. A beautiful arrangement of brussels sprouts on their stalks were so bouncy fresh I just couldn’t pass them up. I thought perhaps to sauté them with garlic and Thai red chilis. . .wait, no! Shallots go so well with brussels sprouts, maybe I should do more of a French twist? But then I remembered.
At home in my pantry has been sitting a box of Trofiette Liguri that I picked out at Williams-Sonoma from their great array of exotic pastas a few weeks ago . You know, all those rustic, boutiquey, pricey pastas that somehow make you think that eating them will transport you into a dream sequence of dining al fresco under olive trees at a Tuscan villa, sipping on a big silky glass of Brunello di Montalcino, surrounded by lush vineyards and Italian grandmothers singing I Cadetti di Guascogna as they smile and wave at you as they make their way down cobblestone paths?
Trofiette are hand-rolled little pieces of dough that come from Italy’s Ligurian region. They were created as an alternative to gnocchi but still have a somewhat of a hearty, dumpling texture, though not nearly as sluggishly gut-busting as gnocchi. They should hold up pretty well to the brussels sprouts, a vegetable I wouldn’t typically think to pair with pasta.
So tonight will be comfort food for hubs and I, I thought. We could both use a little comfort these days. And, he won’t miss his cheese and will never know I didn’t load the dish with butter (I just need to lock him in the bedroom to keep him out of the kitchen). If you can’t find trofiette, or don’t care to pay $10.50 for a pound, whole wheat orzo or fusilli should work equally well.
1/2 lb trofiette
1 lb brussels sprouts
1/8 c roughly chopped kalamata olives
1/4 c roughly chopped walnuts
4 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
3 tbs chopped fresh dill
2 tbs chopped fresh chives
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c vegetable stock
1/2 c dry vermouth
a pinch crushed red pepper flakes
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Slice the brussels sprouts vertically, about 1/4″ thick. For nickel-sized and smaller sprouts, slice in half or leave whole.
Trofiette will take about 20 minutes to cook. Be sure to have your pasta pot right next to a big skillet. Don’t use non-stick. Cook the pasta to al dente in liberally salted water. You want to time this so that it will be ready at the same time as the brussels sprouts.
Meanwhile, add the olive oil to the skillet. Add the garlic, shallots, and chili flakes while the oil is still cool and turn heat to low. This is so that the ingredients gently infuse the oil and are not scorched. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until it begins to lightly sizzle.
Add brussels sprouts, sprinkle about a teaspoon of sea salt over, and sauté for about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add the vegetable stock and vermouth. Add some black pepper, a light sprinkling of salt, and stir. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally until stock and vermouth reduce and brussels sprouts are cooked through to al dente, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the olives and walnuts during the last 5 minutes of cook time and turn off the heat as soon as the brussels sprouts are done.
With a slotted spoon, ladle the trofiette from the pasta pot directly into the skillet. Add the dill and chives, gently toss, and serve.
<3, JMK
