How to make brussels sprouts tasty

Angel Ramos knows his veggies. He’s the head chef over at Candle 79, an upscale restauraunt on the UES, where all of the food is organic and vegan, and 100% delicious. He’ll be showing off his green culinary skills at The Art of Food next Saturday, February 10th, where he’ll be serving up a special dish based on a piece of artwork curated by Sotheby’s. To sign up for tickets, visit www.artoffoodny.com In the meantime, Angel is teaching us how to make brussels sprouts to rave about. “The reason that Brussels Sprouts sometimes get a bad rap is they are usually overcooked,” he explains. “In our version, the sprouts are gently roasted with olive oil and fresh rosemary so they develop a mild nutty flavor. Then top them with a dollop of almond crème fraiche for a finishing touch that’s sure to please.” Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almond Crème Fraîche Serves 6 - 8 Almond Crème Fraîche Ingredients 2 cups sliced almonds 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons grape seed oil ½ cup water 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt Almond Crème Fraîche Directions: To make the crème fraîche, put the almonds in a large bowl an cover with at least 4 inches inches of water. Let soak overnight. Rinse and drain the almonds. Transfer the almonds to a food processor. Add the lemon juice, grape seed oil, water and salt. Blend until smooth, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. The Crème Fraîche will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Brussels Sprouts Ingredients: 3 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 shallots, sliced Brussels Sprouts Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the brussels sprouts in a large bowl, add the olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and toss together. Transfer to a roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil. Roast for about 20 minutes, until just tender. Remove from the oven, discard the foil, and sprinkle the shallots over the sprouts. Roast for an additional 15 minutes, then remove and let cool. Serve the brussels sprouts and garnish with 1 – 2 tablespoons of almond crème fraîche.