Thanksgiving Menu: Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo & Toasted Almonds

We are big brussels sprouts fans, and when we found this recipe incorporating chorizo and almonds, we were curious to try this warm salad. It got good reviews from everyone who tried it, even from people who wouldn't normally eat brussels sprouts.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup raw almonds
3 oz. chorizo sausage, sliced
1 lb. brussels sprouts, halved with leaves separated
2 tablespoons garlic flavored olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
- toast almonds in a frying pan over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes. let cool and chop.
- cook the chorizo in a large pan, stirring until crisp. set aside.
- heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat, adding the garlic and thyme and sautéing until the garlic is golden. Add the brussels sprouts in batches, cooking until leaves have wilted and have browned a bit, approximately 10 minutes.
- remove from the stove and mix the almonds and chorizo in with the brussels sprouts. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe. Serves 4.

Thanksgiving Recipe: Kale Gratin

Ingredients:

4 oz. Prosciutto, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, or whichever kind you prefer
4 tbsp olive oil
2 bunches of Tuscan kale, stems and ribs removed and coarsely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
2  cloves of garlic, finely diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups of skim or lowfat milk
1 cup grated gruyere
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

 Pour 2 tbsp of olive oil into a medium skillet, and add the prosciutto.  Fry until some fat is released and then add the breadcrumbs.  Stir occasionally, until the prosciutto is crispy and the breadcrumbs are toasted a golden brown.  Set aside.

Boil a pot of water, add salt and the kale.  Cook for 4 minutes, then drain.  

 Pour the remaining olive oil to the pot and add the diced onion and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper, and stir frequently over medium heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Add the kale to the mixture, and set aside, retaining the pot.

Use the pot to melt the butter over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk together until the mixture is thick and a light brown color.  Slowly mix in the milk, reducing heat to a simmer, and add the gruyere and nutmeg, continuing to stir until the cheese melts into a thick bechamel sauce.  Put the kale back into the pot and stir until it's coated in the bechamel.

Pour the bechamel-kale mixture into a 9-10" skillet or pie dish, and cover in the prosciutto-breadcrumb mixture and the parsley.  Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until it's bubbling slightly. 

Serves 8.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.