Josh’s guests today include Gloucester Times food editor and author Heather Atwood with four fantastic show stoppers for the Thanksgiving dinner table, including an authentic Wompanoag recipe; the new president of the Cape Ann Symphony, Tom Mannle; former Gloucester Mayor Bruce Tobey who checks in with reflections and opinions on partisan politics in the most recent area municipal election; and Dianne Ayott, Professor of Art at Montserrat College
Brussels Sprout Panzanella Salad with Candied Bacon
serves 4-6
This brussels sprout recipe, from the now closed Enzo Restaurant in
Newburyport, answered the question, “how do we make a panzanella salad – the
traditional Italian bread salad made with summery red tomatoes and fresh
basil – in New England in the winter?”
The result looks nothing like its parent, and should enjoy its own unique
place at the table. Blanched Brussels sprouts tossed in a molasses-pancetta
vinaigrette with roasted wild mushrooms, toasted bread, and finished with
the deluxe pieces of candied bacon, this is North Shore Farm food; it says
winter on coastal Massachusetts the way a panzanella says summer in Tuscany.
There are many steps, but they’re easy, and each could be completed a full
day ahead, the whole assembled quickly.
Ingredients
4 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, and the sprouts sliced 1/4”
3 cups mushrooms, a mix of shitake and button is good, cleaned and sliced
6 tablespoons olive oil – divided
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups cubed bread – semolina or a country-style loaf
2 slices good quality bacon, cut into 1/2” wide sections
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup, or to taste, Pancetta Molasses Dressing at room temperature
Instructions
1. In lightly salted boiling water, blanch the sliced Brussels sprouts,
dropping immediately into ice water. Spread the leaves out on paper towels
to dry, padding the top layer with more paper towels. Try to get as dry as
possible.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the mushrooms with 3
tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and lay out on a baking
sheet. Roast for fifteen minutes, or until the mushrooms begin to get brown
and crispy.
3. Toss the bread cubes with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive
oil, or more if the bread does not look completely coated, and lay out on a
baking sheet. Toast in the same oven until brown, about fifteen minutes,
depending on your bread.
4. In a small bowl, toss the bacon pieces with the brown sugar. On a
baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, lay the bacon,
scraping the loose brown sugar on top.
5. Still at 400 degrees, roast for fifteen minutes, or until bacon is
brown and crispy; watch carefully that it doesn’t burn. Remove from oven
and lay pieces out on a baking rack to “dry.”
6. To assemble the salad: In a large bowl toss the sprout leaves
with enough dressing to liberally coat.
7. Distribute dressed sprouts liberally among large salad bowls or on
one large platter. Distribute mushrooms on top of the sprouts. Toss
croutons and the candied bacon all over.
Pancetta-molasses dressing
Yields about 3 cups
3 oz pancetta, sliced or cubed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup molasses
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup oil (I use a blend of olive and canola oils)
1. Cook pancetta in a skillet until crisp and browned and the fat is
rendered out. Cool slightly and then place pancetta and all the rendered
fat in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Add the mustard molasses, and vinegar to the processor bowl. Turn
the processor on and let it grind up the pancetta. When the mixture in the
bowl looks semi-smooth, pour in the oil. When the dressing looks cohesive
and smooth, turn off the processor and check for seasoning.
3. Taste for salt, or more molasses or vinegar: it should taste sweet,
sour and salty together. This dressing should be stored in the refrigerator
and brought up to room temperature (or heated) before use.
