Whole wheat penne with brussels sprouts, falafel crumbs, apples, and rosemary
We recently returned from 10 days in NYC, and were scrambling to figure out what to do for dinner given our uncharacteristically empty fridge and unusually busy schedule. (When you disappear for 10 days there’s a lot to do once you get back!) I left work too late to make it to the Asian and bio stores, so tofu was out, and the Turkish store was already closed. My only option was the local, standard grocery store, where I almost never buy produce. The Brussels sprouts looked reasonably fresh, and both Derek and I love brussels sprouts, so I decided on a simple dinner of pasta with brussels sprouts. I also bought a few tart apples for snacking on.
When I got home I tried to figure out what I could add to bump up the protein content of the meal, and make the pasta dish a little more interesting. I remembered that I had a box of falafel mix in the pantry. Falafel and brussels sprouts didn’t seem like too odd of a combination, so I mixed the falafel mix with water and fried it up as falafel patties in a little oil on the stovetop. I removed them from the pan and then used the same pan for the sprouts. I quartered the brussels sprouts and cooked them over medium heat in my large 12-inch skillet, until browned. When they were almost done I decided to jazz the dish up a bit more, and added one diced granny smith apple, and a heaping spoonful of minced rosemary (from the plant on my windowsill). When the sprouts were cooked through I tossed in some whole wheat penne, and crumbled in a few of the falafel patties. The texture of the falafel crumbles reminded me a little of bread crumbs, but they were more flavorful. The sweet/tart apple contrasted nicely with the heavier flavors of the falafel and brussels sprouts, and the rosemary added a nice “fall” flavor. The dish ended up being tasty, if a little odd. It was also a bit dry, so we ended up drizzling it with a little olive oil at the table. I wish the dish had had more of a sauce, but I never know how to make a non-red sauce like you get at an Italian restaurant, without using 1/4 cup of olive oil per person.
nowpicnic said,
November 2, 2009 at 4:45 am
Hi Rose!
Sounds good. Granny Smith apples reminded me of something you might like to try for a special breakfast/brunch sometime. We made it today, and the apples were the key ingredient.
1) Make french toast with a Brioche or Challah bread, but don’t add much sugar (if at all) to the french toast.
2) When serving, serve two pieces of toast per person. On the plate, put down the first piece of toast, top with a few slices of brie, thinly sliced Granny Smith apples, sliced toasted almonds, and a drizzle of honey. Top with the second piece of french toast, more apples, almonds and honey.
It was inspired by a similar french toast dish served at M Henry in Chicago. When everything’s in the right proportions (brie/apple/honey/nut) it’s really tasty!
captious said,
November 2, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Thanks for the recipe suggestion. We’ll have to give it a try next time we have a fancy brunch. But why do you need the second piece of french toast on top?
nowpicnic said,
November 2, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I think helps melt the brie, and challah and brioche are often pretty light, so I don’t think it’s too much food.
You can have one piece if you want, though.
captious said,
November 2, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Makes sense.
Jennifer said,
November 3, 2009 at 2:33 am
I just gotta say…I think the secret at restaurants IS to use a quarter cup of olive oil!
nowpicnic said,
November 3, 2009 at 2:47 am
Oh yeah – I was going to say that too!
And broth, maybe? Olive oil, a little broth, optional cheese, fresh pepper…