Ale-Braised Corned Beef With Brussels Sprouts & Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 3-pound piece corned beef brisket (with spice packet, if included) 
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths 
• 1 12-ounce bottle amber ale
• 3/4 pound Brussels sprouts (or use the traditional cabbage from you share) 
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon [seems like an odd herb to me for corned beef, but perhaps it would it's great. However, I would consider it optional.]

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, place the beef, the contents of the spice packet (if included), carrots, and ale. Cook, covered, until the beef is tender, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Ten minutes before serving, thinly slice the Brussels sprouts. (This is easiest to do in a food processor with the slicing blade.)
3. Transfer the beef from the slow cooker to a cutting board; if the slow cooker is on the low setting, turn it to high. Add the Brussels sprouts to the carrots and liquid in the slow cooker. Cook, covered, until the Brussels sprouts are tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mustard, and tarragon.
5. Slice the beef. Serve with the vegetables and sour cream sauce.

Balsamic Braised Brussels with Pancetta

Adapted from

Sunday Suppers at Lucques

From Smitten Kitchen:  

The only major change I made to this recipe was that I adapted it to cook the medium-sized brussels I can easily get, versus the baby ones Goin recommends - this required more liquid and much more cooking time but the reward is a heartier bite with the same complex flavors. The recipe below is for the larger sprouts.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side

 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (though I found I needed far less) 

2 teaspoons thyme leaves

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus an extra glug or two for drizzling

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 pounds medium-sized brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed

Salt and pepper

6 ounces pancetta in small dice (1 1/2 cups)

3 tablespoons minced shallots

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 cups veal stock, rich chicken or vegetable broth, more if needed 

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix bread crumbs and thyme with a couple glugs of olive oil, and spread on a cookie sheet. Toast, tossing frequently, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Heat butter and remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foamy. Add brussels sprouts, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté, tossing frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add diced pancetta, and sauté, tossing frequently, until sprouts are well browned and softened slightly, and pancetta is crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Reduce heat, add shallots and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, 2 minutes. Increase heat to high, add balsamic vinegar and stock, and cook, tossing frequently, until sprouts are glazed and tender, about 20 minutes; add more stock if needed. Taste, adjusting seasoning if necessary, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and scatter bread crumbs on top.

Penne Rigate with Brussels Sprouts

  2 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil

  1 small red onion, thinly sliced

  1 pound(s) brussels sprouts, trimmed, loose outer leaves reserved and sprouts thinly sliced

  1 long red fresh chile, halved, seeded and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

  1 teaspoon(s) chopped thyme

  Salt and freshly ground pepper 

  1/2 pound(s) penne rigate

  4 ounce(s) Gorgonzola cheese, preferably dolce latte, crumbled

In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the sliced brussels sprouts, chile and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are just tender, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved sprout leaves, cover and remove from the heat.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until al dente. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the penne to the skillet along with the pasta cooking water and cook over moderate heat, stirring to coat the pasta with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to bowls, top with the Gorgonzola and serve right away.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apple

-3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-in\ch pieces
-4 pints Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved
-Coarse salt and ground pepper
-1 apple, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices, each slice halved crosswise
-2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange bacon in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until browned, 10 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts in a single layer; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
Remove from oven, and toss in apple. Return to oven; roast until Brussels sprouts are browned and tender and apple has softened, 10 to 15 minutes.
Toss vegetables with vinegar, and serve immediately.

Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon smooth dijon mustard (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. [Updated to note: If your sprouts don't fit in one layer, don't fret! Brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc.]

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid) and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out brussels (leaving the sauce behind). Add cream and simmer for two to three minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Pour sauce over brussels, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

Ale-Braised Corned Beef, Brussels Sprouts, and Carrots

• 1 3-pound piece corned beef brisket (with spice packet, if included) 
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths 
• 1 12-ounce bottle amber ale
• 3/4 pound Brussels sprouts (or use the traditional cabbage from you share) 
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon [seems like an odd herb to me for corned beef, but perhaps it would it's great. However, I would consider it optional.] 

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, place the beef, the contents of the spice packet (if included), carrots, and ale. Cook, covered, until the beef is tender, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Ten minutes before serving, thinly slice the Brussels sprouts. (This is easiest to do in a food processor with the slicing blade.)
3. Transfer the beef from the slow cooker to a cutting board; if the slow cooker is on the low setting, turn it to high. Add the Brussels sprouts to the carrots and liquid in the slow cooker. Cook, covered, until the Brussels sprouts are tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mustard, and tarragon.
5. Slice the beef. Serve with the vegetables and sour cream sauce.