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“Miso-Honey” Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts

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I’m giggling at the title of this recipe, don’t mind me. Anyway, if you want to amp up your brussel game, try these miso-honey brown butter brussel sprouts. Salty umami-packed miso paste is melted down with brown butter, thin slices of garlic and shallot, and whisked with sweet honey. Such a simple way to boost the flavor of just about any vegetable you want. I figure, if it works with bitter brussels, it can work with anything.

Let’s keep it a buck, most of us didn’t start eating these until they became “trendy” years back. Those of you who probably did grow up on these, grew up on them boiled, bland, and disgusting. My condolences. These brussels, however, are anything but bland and definitely not disgusting. The way that super easy and crazy versatile miso-honey brown butter seeps into the crevices, while clinging onto shards of garlic and shallot? Oh my gosh! You’re in for a treat. Again, you can use this sauce on any vegetable. Try it!

Brussel sprouts are notoriously stinky. They’re basically little cabbages, so expect some funk. One may walk into your home after you’ve cooked these and swear you farted up the joint. But that’s still not reason enough to not make these.

I’m using white miso paste for this recipe, and it’s super easy to find. Even easier if you live near an International market. You can use any kind of honey. I purposely gave you a recipe that will leave you with extra miso-honey brown butter sauce. You can keep it in your fridge and save it for a few days, then use again on another batch of brussels, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, you name it.

brussel sprouts

Ahh, these stinky little morsels of yumminess. To me, they’re best browned via oven or pan roast, or flash fried in hot oil. Today, they’re getting roasted.

brussels rinsed in cold water

Brussels are notoriously dirty. There’s tons of areas for dirt and bugs (ick) to chill in, so make sure you slice your brussels in half, trimming off the thick ends, and remove any filthy and/or bruised leaves. Check the crevices for bugs and/or dirt. After that, give them a good thorough rinse and shake them dry.

olive oil drizzled on brussels

Place your cleaned brussels on a baking sheet and drizzle plenty of oil all over them.

salt and pepper on brussels

Don’t forget the salt and pepper.

brussels face down on baking sheet

Arrange them cut-side down on your baking sheet. Notice mine are not swimming in oil, but there’s just enough to keep them nicely lubricated in that super hot oven.

brussels face down on baking sheet

another view

brussels face down on baking sheet

pop these in a 425 degree oven for 20 to 22 minutes. Start checking at the 17-minute mark, because some ovens get hotter than others. You’ll know when they’re ready when you can easily pierce them with a toothpick and they’re nicely charred.

sliced garlic and shallots

Meanwhile, let’s get our miso honey brown butter going. Slice up a few cloves of garlic, about 2 or 3. Thinly slice up 1 small shallot.

butter melting in pan

In a skillet that doesn’t have a dark bottom, melt a stick of butter over medium heat.

melted butter

Continue to let it melt.

butter starting to brown

It’s almost there. Swirl it around frequently.

brown butter

Once it’s brown like this, turn off the heat so it doesn’t burn!

miso paste shallots and garlic in brown butter

As soon as you turn the heat off, add the garlic, shallots, crushed red pepper flakes, and miso paste. Stir to combine. Use a whisk to break down and melt the miso paste a little better.

melting miso in hot butter and adding honey

Next, add the honey and some black pepper. Whisk to combine.

whisking honey miso brown butter

Keep whisking until its homogenous. Give it a taste. Add a tiny pinch of salt if you need to, but most will find it perfectly salty.

roasted brussel sprouts

Brussls are ready! Look how perfect.

perfectly roasted brussel sprouts

Honestly, you could eat them like this.

perfectly roasted brussel sprouts

My favorite part are those charred outer leaves, so crunchy and deep in flavor.

how to roast brussel sprouts

Here’s what the cut-side looks like. Just perfectly roasted, tender, and charred.

pouring miso honey brown butter over mussels

Whisk the miso honey butter one more time in case it separated, and pour some of it over your brussels. Toss to coat, and if you want to add more you can. But you will more than likely have some sauce leftover for another use.

Miso Honey Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts

Plate them up and serve.

Miso Honey Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts Miso Honey Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts Miso Honey Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts Miso Honey Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts Miso Honey Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts

This sauce! I literally ate half of what you see here before I even plated it. They’re damn good. Pour this sauce on anything, it’ll be bomb.

Try my White Wine Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries.

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Miso Honey Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts

“Miso-Honey” Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts

  • Author: Chef Resha
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
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Description

Sweet, salty and sticky! These perfectly roasted brussel sprouts get a nice coating of umami-packed miso honey brown butter, along with thin shards of fresh garlic, and sliced shallots. So damn good!

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds brussel sprouts, trimmed and cleaned
  • big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more if needed

For the Miso-Honey Brown Butter

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons white miso paste
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup honey, plus more if needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • big pinch black pepper
  • Kosher salt, if needed

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Remove any bruised outer leaves from the brussels. Cut off the stubby ends, and slice them in half lengthwise. Make sure there are no bugs or dirt in the crevices. Rinse the brussels with cold water thoroughly, and shake dry.
  3. Place clean brussels on a large baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Add a big generous pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Using your hands, toss everything together. If you need to add more oil, do so. They shouldn’t be swimming in oil, just evenly lubricated. Arrange them cut-side down on the baking sheet and place them in the oven on the middle-rack for 20 to 22 minutes, or until some of the outer leaves are nicely charred and roasted.
  4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 10 or 12-inch stainless steel skillet. Don’t use a dark-bottom non-stick, it’ll be too hard to tell if the butter is browned. Anyway, melt the butter over medium-heat. Allow the butter to brown, swirling frequently. This will take just a few minutes, so don’t walk away from this or you risk burning it (and wasting expensive butter). As soon as the butter is browned (see my photo in the post for reference) turn off the heat, and add the sliced garlic, sliced shallot, red pepper flakes, and white miso paste. Using a whisk, blend everything together, making sure the white miso paste is properly blended and melted into the hot butter. Don’t be alarmed, as soon as you add all this stuff, the butter will sizzle up and foam — that’s normal. Once the miso is melted into the butter, add the honey. Start with 1/4 cup of honey, whisk it in and give it a taste. Add more honey if you need to. You want the sauce to be nicely balanced between sweet and salty, with a back-note of heat. If you need to add a tiny pinch of kosher salt, do so now. As soon as it’s perfect, set it aside until your brussels are done roasting.
  5. When the brussels are tender and charred, remove them from the oven. Place them in a bowl and drizzle some of the finished miso-honey brown butter sauce over them. Toss to coat, add a little more if you’d like. Try not to eat them all at once, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

You will more than likely have sauce leftover, so save it for another use in your fridge.

Keywords: roasted veggies, vegetables, brussel sprouts, brown butter, miso

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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

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I’ve been eating southern-style collard greens for as long as I can remember. My grandmother on my dad’s side (may she rest), used to whip them up special for me pretty much any time I wanted them. And I wanted them a lot. Both of my grandma’s killed it in the kitchen, and their knowledge poured into my mom, and now it’s all mine. I love pork, but I know there’s a handful of you who don’t eat it. This version is pork-free but it absolutely does not skimp on flavor. These greens remind me of the women I was raised by, and it’s very near and dear to my heart. We never measure anything, but of course I’m going to give you measurements to start off with, and adjust to your own personal liking.

The base of the broth is made with high-quality chicken stock, not broth. Be 100% sure you’re buying the best quality chicken stock if not using homemade. The stock is full of serious flavor, which permeates through the greens slowly, making them MELT IN YOUR MOUTH DELICIOUS! I repeat, make sure the chicken stock is the highest quality you can buy (if not make). Also, greens can be kinda bitter, so it’s important you learn to balance these flavors by giving it a splash of acid (apple cider vinegar, preferably with the mother), and a bit of sweetness (wildflower honey). What if you can’t find wildflower honey? Then use whatever you have access to. You’ll also want to add some heat to your greens, the level is up to you.

Low and slow is the best way to cook southern-style collard greens, in my opinion. No need to rush, this is a low-country kinda dish, so let these aromas permeate your kitchen and enjoy the end results. I first posted this recipe to my Instagram account last year, and folks have made it for their families during holiday season. Everyone who’s tried it so far has loved it, and I think that has a lot to do with how I instruct you to prepare it. I want you to really make this yours, so as always, taste as you go!

Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

This is a collard green chopper. It’s not necessary if you’ve already pre-chopped your greens to bite sized pieces, but if you’d like to shred them even further, this comes in handy.

Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Once you take the neck and legs out, let them cool. Then carefully shred the meat from the bones and add it back to your greens.

Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

I use two pre-made spices for this recipe, by The Gourmet Collection (links in recipe). I purchase mine from either Tuesday Morning, Marshall’s, or TJ Maxx. They’ve also been spotted at World Market. If you cannot find them, here’s the ingredients list for both, so you can substitute with what you have.

Smoked Paprika, Garlic, Chili & Chives Spice Blend

  • smoked paprika, garlic, onion, sugar, red bell peppers, tomato flakes, black pepper, chili, chives, lemon peel, oregano, rosemary

Garlic & Onion Spice Blend

  • garlic, onion, salt, soy bean, carrot, coriander, sugar, black pepper, red bell pepper, parsley, oregano, turmeric, cumin, sage, chives.

These were so amazing. If you’d rather use pork, such as hamhocks or fat back, etc. instead of the smoked turkey, feel free! I’ve made them with either protein, and they come out succulent no matter what.

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Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Southern-Style Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

  • Author: Chef Resha
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 to 14 servings
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Description

Incredibly delicious southern-style collard greens, reminiscent of my grandmother. These do not contain pork, but you could swap the smoked turkey for ham-hocks if you prefer. These are eyeball measurements to get you started. Please taste as you go and adjust to your liking.

Ingredients

  • 4 large bundles of collards, stemmed and chopped
  • 1 stick butter (salted)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 large leeks, chopped and rinsed thoroughly
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 bundle of fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
  • 1 teaspoon herbes de provence
  • 1 teaspoon garlic & onion mix (SEE NOTES BELOW)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, garlic, chili & chives mix (SEE NOTES BELOW)
  • 2 teaspoons – 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 smoked turkey necks
  • 2 smoked turkey wings
  • 1 quart high-quality chicken stock (not low sodium)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (with the mother, if possible)
  • 1 tbsp wildflower honey

Instructions

  1. Remove the thick fibrous stems from your collard greens. Rinse the leaves of the greens thoroughly to remove any dirt and sand. Roll the leaves up and chop them into manageable bite-sized pieces.
  2. In a large tall stock pot, sauté the leeks and onion in the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper. Cook until the leeks and onion are translucent, about 7 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring to distribute. Add the thyme bundle, and smoked meat. Stir for about a minute to help the thyme release its flavor into the onion mixture.
  4. Pour in the chicken stock and water, then add the spice blends. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes with the lid on. Taste the broth mixture, season to taste/adjust.
  5. When you’re satisfied with the flavor, add the collard greens. Push them down and stir them around until they’re submerged. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour.
  6. Add the vinegar and honey, and cook and additional 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the collard greens are melt-in-your-mouth tender and the smoked meat is falling off the bone.
  7. Remove the smoked meat bones from the pot, let them cool just enough so you can handle them. With gloved hands or a fork, pick the meat from the bones and add it back to the greens. Taste and adjust.
  8. When the greens are perfectly seasoned and balanced, serve and enjoy.

Notes

The spice mixes I used are from The Gourmet Collection, found at Homegoods, Tuesday Morning, Amazon, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc.

Keywords: southern style collard greens, collard greens, smoked turkey, how to cook collard greens, the best collard greens

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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Honey-Roasted Carrots

17 Comments

Hello! Greetings and such 🙂 Before I get into this recipe, I wanted to share with you all some exciting news. I’ll be on the Dr. Oz show January, 19th (today)! They’re doing a little segment on food bloggers, weight management, and all that jazz..and I was honored to be a part of it. I had a blast, despite being nervous to the highest of hells lol. I’ve never done TV before, so it was pretty jarring for me. I didn’t have much time to process it either. Dr. Oz and his amazing staff were extremely kind and accommodating, I’d definitely do this all over again if asked. If you’d like to read a little more about my weight-loss journey, please click here! I demonstrated how to make my beloved Chipotle Sticky Wings just a little healthier. Dr. Oz really seemed to enjoy them, I caught him closing his eyes as he ate them, haha! Yes, people…my food will get you lucky 😉

This year, you will see a lot of healthier recipes posted on this site. I’ve spent much of last year experimenting on my own body to see what works, and what doesn’t. I’m confident enough to share a few things with you all. Don’t be fooled though, the decadent comfort food recipes I’ve become known for will still have a home here, but I’ve found a happy medium to include both decadent and health-conscious foods. I have posted a few already, check posts from November and December, and I have tons more in the pipeline. I’ll share some meal-prep ideas with you all, as well as healthier ways to prepare some of your favorite fatty foods.

Roasted carrots are about to become your favorite. Their natural sugars are released and they taste like candy. During my weight-loss journey, they were a staple. I ate, correction — EAT them all the time, they’re great for meal-prep. They are also awesome as a snack to satisfy my sweet tooth. You can season them however you’d season sweet potatoes, seriously. I’d scale back on adding too many added sweeteners, because we still want them to be relatively healthy. Don’t be afraid of the darker parts of the carrots as they roast. That ain’t nothing but flavor! You want to roast them until they’re tender but not mushy or falling apart too much. Add a very light drizzle of honey, add a little spice and heat, and you’re on your way. Get into it!

2lb bag full of natures candy.

2lb bag full of natures candy.

peel those carrots!

peel those carrots!

Drizzle a little oil over those babies. I'm using an oil infused with garlic and herbs. use whatever you have! You don't need much, just enough to keep them from getting ashy.

Drizzle a little oil over those babies. I’m using an oil infused with garlic and herbs. use whatever you have! You don’t need much, just enough to keep them from getting ashy.

Sprinkle evenly with sea salt (just a little), pepper, crushed red pepper and toss around.

Sprinkle evenly with sea salt (just a little), pepper, crushed red pepper and toss around.

space them out on the baking sheet and drizzle with honey. Mmm..

space them out on the baking sheet and drizzle with honey. Mmm..

Close-up

Close-up

After about 10 min, turn the carrots over so they caramelize on the other side.

After about 10 min, turn the carrots over so they caramelize on the other side.

After about 20min or so, here we are. Ready. Oh, baby...

After about 20min or so, here we are. Ready. Oh, baby…

Brush these babies with a tiny bit more honey. Just a touch.

Brush these babies with a tiny bit more honey. Just a touch.

Shinehhhh!

Shinehhhh!

Sprinkle these bad boys with a tiny bit of fresh thyme.

Sprinkle these bad boys with a tiny bit of fresh thyme.

Eat them right away. You'll eat the entire pan. They're so good.

Eat them right away. You’ll eat the entire pan. They’re so good.

I ate them all. Judge me.

I ate them all. Judge me.

they legit taste like candy, so good. so so so so good!

they legit taste like candy, so good. so so so so good!

Oh, you hate carrots? No you don’t. You just haven’t had them right 😉

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Honey Roasted Carrots

  • Author: Resha from CarnalDish
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
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Description

This recipe doesn’t require many specific measurements. It can be made with as many or as few carrots as you desire.

Ingredients

  • 2lbs carrots, peeled and tops cut
  • 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (can use any oil you want)
  • good pinch of sea salt
  • pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425
  2. Arrange the peeled carrots on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil you’re using, sprinkle with each seasoning and toss to coat. Drizzle with a little honey (they don’t need much, carrots are very sweet on their own when roasted). Spread the carrots out on the baking sheet so they’re not sticking together. They need a little room to breathe.
  3. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, then turn them over so the other side caramelizes. Roast about 10 more minutes. Brush just a little more honey over the carrots, if you’d like (you won’t need much). Sprinkle fresh thyme over the carrots and eat them ALLLL!

Notes

I used an oil infused with garlic and herbs, but you can use ANY oil you want. Coconut, grapeseed, and olive oil are great choices.

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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Garlic & Herb Duck Fat Baby Potatoes

5 Comments

“Duck fat” just sounds sexy. Say it aloud, in your lowest bedroom voice — I’ll wait…see?? Doesn’t it sound naughty 🙂 It’s a wonderful fat. Bacon fat and duck fat are the yin to the potatoes yang. You can’t go wrong with either of them. I have to buy my duck fat because I don’t cook down enough ducks on the regular to make my own. This deliciously sinful tub of bird fat cost me about $6 from Wegmans and a little goes a long way. You only need about 2 tablespoons of it for all of these potatoes. They soak up the duck fat and get amazingly crisp and super golden brown.

Salting the potatoes during the boiling process ensures that they’re seasoned all the way thru. It doesn’t make them too salty (they’re not staying in the water long enough for that to happen), but it helps to enhance their natural flavor a bit. Boiling the potatoes also causes the starch to race to the surface once you cut it, making the cut-side kinda sticky to the touch — this is good! We want this, because THIS is what’s going to help give us an amazing texture and color. The potatoes are already cooked thru at this point, we’re just upping the ante and giving them a little sass.

I kept the premise of this side-dish very simple. You can literally dress these up any way you choose — they’re amazing with freshly grated pecorino-romano cheese and a light squeeze of lemon, seriously, they’re potatoes — go all in. Add different fresh herbs, such as basil, or rosemary and thyme, or marjoram. Make this recipe yours, I’m just giving you a decent starting point. I lightly cook half a diced shallot and a three grated cloves of garlic at the very end just to rid them of their raw flavor. You can cook them earlier in the process if you want, but I really recommend you add the garlic at the end. If you add it too early, it will burn and become bitter — ruining the dish. There will be enough heat leftover in the pan to cook the garlic well enough. Once you toss everything together…I promise you won’t want to stop snacking on them. They are so damn good.

If you absolutely cannot find duck fat — I feel bad for you, son 🙁

Although butter is pictured here, we're not using it for this recipe. We're only using 25 ounces of the baby potatoes (roughly 1 1/2lbs)

Although butter is pictured here, we’re not using it for this recipe. We’re only using 25 ounces of the baby potatoes (roughly 1 1/2lbs), and everything else pictured.

dice up your shallot, grate your garlic using a microplane (if you have one, a garlic press will also work). Set aside.

dice up your shallot, grate your garlic using a microplane (if you have one, a garlic press will also work). Set aside.

Meanwhile, place your potatoes in a medium-sized pot and make sure they're covered by at least 2" of water. Salt the water, toss in one split garlic clove, cover and bring to a simmer for about 10-13 minutes or until you can pierce them easily with a wooden skewer or fork. They should NOT be mushy or falling apart. Drain and cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, place your potatoes in a medium-sized pot and make sure they’re covered by at least 2″ of water. Salt the water, toss in one split garlic clove, cover and bring to a simmer for about 10-13 minutes or until you can pierce them easily with a wooden skewer or fork. They should NOT be mushy or falling apart. Drain and cool for a few minutes.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, gently slice them in half lengthwise.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, gently slice them in half lengthwise.

Melt two tablespoons of duck fat in a large cast-iron skillet.

Melt two tablespoons of duck fat in a large cast-iron skillet.

When the oil is hot, arrange the potatoes in a single layer, cut-side down.

When the oil is hot, arrange the potatoes in a single layer, cut-side down.

Season the potatoes with a generous pinch of coarse sea salt, crushed red pepper flake, and black pepper. Notice how the oil is nearly soaked up? Awwww sookie sookie now!

Season the potatoes with a generous pinch of coarse sea salt, crushed red pepper flake, and black pepper. Notice how the oil is nearly soaked up? Awwww sookie sookie now!

The potatoes are done when the oil is all soaked up and they're beautifully golden brown. Ahhh!

The potatoes are done when the oil is all soaked up and they’re beautifully golden brown. Ahhh!

Turn off the heat. Make a well in the center of the skillet, add the shallots and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Make a well in the center of the skillet, add the shallots and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Toss the potatoes with the shallolts, garlic until evenly mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Toss the potatoes with the shallolts, garlic until evenly mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Add the fresh herbs and we've got ourselves a party.

Add the fresh herbs and we’ve got ourselves a party.

Oh, yes baby.

Oh, yes baby.

Come to mama..

Come to mama..

I wish you could smell these, OMG!

I wish you could smell these, OMG!

So, you gonna make these or nah?

So, you gonna make these or nah?

You’d be a fool not to. The texture is incredible, nice crispy exteriors and creamy centers. Whew!

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Duck Fat Baby Potatoes

  • Author: Resha from CarnalDish
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4 - 6
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Ingredients

  • 25 ounces baby yukon gold potatoes (about 1 1/2lbs), scrubbed clean
  • 2 to 3 tbsp rendered duck fat
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated (about 1tbsp)
  • 1 small shallot, diced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 3 tbsp flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
  • Salt for the water (see note below)
  • coarse sea salt, to taste
  • cracked black pepper, to taste
  • crushed red pepper flake, to taste

Instructions

  1. Place the clean potatoes in a medium-sized pot (or one large enough for your potatoes). Add cold water, enough to cover the potatoes about 2 inches. Add salt to the water (see note below). Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts boiling, reduce heat to medium or medium-low for a lower simmer — keep uncovered. Test the doneness of the potatoes after 10 minutes with a wooden skewer. The skewer should slide thru with no resistance. If necessary, continue cooking the potatoes, checking every 2 minutes until the wooden skewer easily slides thru. Once they’re done, turn off the heat and drain the potatoes in a strainer and let cool for about 10 minutes, or until you can safely handle them.
  2. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of duck fat to a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When the fat is nice and hot, carefully arrange each potato half into a single layer, cut-side down. Let the potatoes fry for about 3 minutes, then add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flake — do not stir the potatoes around! You can check the color, but leave them alone and let them do their thing for another 5-7 minutes, or until duck fat has absorbed into the potatoes and their surface is deliciously golden brown.
  3. Turn off the heat, make a well in the center of the skillet and add the shallots, cooking thoroughly for 3-5 minutes in the residual heat from the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, to get rid of the raw garlic flavor. Toss the potatoes with the shallots and garlic until evenly distributed. Add the parsley, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  4. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Please use your best judgement with how much salt to use for the water. It depends on how fine or coarse your salt is, and how much water/how many potatoes you’re boiling. Because I use a coarse sea salt, I use a decent amount of it (about 3 tablespoons). The finer your salt is, the less you’d use.

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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

White Wine Braised Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries

9 Comments

These are the brussel sprouts for those who hate brussel sprouts, or think they hate brussel sprouts. My dad absolutely hates brussel sprouts, and he destroyed these. My mom shook her head and raved, “I eat brussels all the time, but those are the best I’ve ever had. Makes no sense. They’re even good cold”. Well, neither party is lying here. These are just damn good brussel sprouts. Bacon and brussels go together like eggs and avocado. They’re just a match made in mouth heaven. Throw in a few dried cranberries to soak up some of that white wine and we’ve got ourselves a party. The brussels cook up tender and caramelized, full of delicious flavor, sure to please any skeptic. They aren’t the least bit bitter, and sure to be a great addition to your holiday table.

Brussel sprouts should be tender, but not soggy. Braising them allows us to develop color AND lots of flavor. The cut sides get nice and caramelized, and the wine just absorbs into the leaves giving you an incredible taste. The smokey bacon and sweet shallots pair nicely with the heat from the crushed red pepper and Herbes de Provence — then the magic happens when you toss in some sweet/tart dried cranberries and that last minute hit of honey. Oh boy…flavor overload. Very simple yet very delicious. There are tons of ways to cook and flavor brussel sprouts, but this is a quick and delicious way to introduce them to your regular diet. They are packed with nutrition and with proper love and care, can be transformed from a childhood fear to an adult delicacy.

OMG these are SO good!!  Let’s get started, shall we?

24 ounces of brussel sprouts, ready for some action

24 ounces of brussel sprouts, ready for some action

Cut the dirty little ends off each brussel sprout. We don't need those.

Cut the dirty little ends off each brussel sprout. We don’t need those.

1. Trimmed ends, peeled the ugly and bruised outer leaves, 2. Rinse the brussels under cold water to remove any loose dirt, 3. Whoa! These are huge. Slice each brussel in half, lengthwise, 4. Ready

1. Trimmed ends, peeled the ugly and bruised outer leaves, 2. Rinse the brussels under cold water to remove any loose dirt, 3. Whoa! These are huge. Slice each brussel in half, lengthwise, 4. Ready

Slice 4 ounces of whatever bacon you have on hand into lardons, like this!

Slice 4 ounces of whatever bacon you have on hand into lardons, like this!

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. I'm using cast iron, you can use whatever you have on hand.

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. I’m using cast iron, you can use whatever you have on hand.

Peel and slice one shallot.

Peel and slice one shallot.

1. Cook bacon in olive oil and separate the strips with a wooden spoon, 2. Add a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flake and stir around, 3. Add a good pinch of Herbes de Provence and stir, 4. Allow the bacon to develop some color, then add the shallots, breaking them up with the wooden spoon.

1. Cook bacon in olive oil and separate the strips with a wooden spoon, 2. Add a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flake and stir around, 3. Add a good pinch of Herbes de Provence and stir, 4. Allow the bacon to develop some color, then add the shallots, breaking them up with the wooden spoon.

Mince two small cloves of garlic and set aside.

Mince two small cloves of garlic and set aside.

Once the bacon is crisp and golden, remove everything from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Set aside.

Once the bacon is crisp and golden, remove everything from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind. Set aside.

Here's what we have leftover. A good amount of fat to coat just the very bottom of the skillet. This is good! If you have too much fat, pour some of it out. You literally just want enough to coat the pan.

Here’s what we have leftover. A good amount of fat to coat just the very bottom of the skillet. This is good! If you have too much fat, pour some of it out. You literally just want enough to coat the pan, about 3 tablespoons or so, depending on the size of your skillet and how many sprout halves you have.

1. Arrange each half of your brussel sprouts into the pan, cut-side down, 2. Cover and sear for just 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges begin to caramelize, 3. Add your wine and water to the brussels, 4. Add the garlic, cranberries, and bacon and shallot mixture on top, allowing the cranberries to sink into the wine.

1. Arrange each half of your brussel sprouts into the pan, cut-side down, 2. Cover and sear for just 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges begin to caramelize, 3. Add your wine and water to the brussels, 4. Add the coarse sea salt, black pepper, garlic, cranberries, and bacon and shallot mixture on top, allowing the cranberries to sink into the wine.

1. Cover and braise over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, or until liquid has evaporated and brussels are easily pierced with a toothpick or wooden skewer. Remove pan from heat, drizzle honey over brussels and toss gently to combine. Allow the honey to completely melt into the dish. Serve and enjoy!

1. Cover and braise over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, or until liquid has evaporated and brussels are easily pierced with a toothpick or wooden skewer. Remove pan from heat, drizzle honey over brussels and toss gently to combine. Allow the honey to completely melt into the dish. Serve and enjoy!

Jeeeeeeez

Jeeeeeeez

White Wine Braised Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries

the flavors…whew!

White Wine Braised Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries

everything just works together.

White Wine Braised Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries

your kids may even love these..

Heavens...these are SO good! *shakes fist*

Heavens…these are SO good! *shakes fist*

 

I implore you to make these, immediately. My dad, who really hates brussels, has paid me to make these for  him — they’re that good. They’ll make anyone a believer!

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White Wine Braised Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries

  • Author: Resha from CarnalDish
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4
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Ingredients

  • 24 oz. (1 1/2 pounds) Brussel Sprouts, ends trimmed, bruised outer leaves removed, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive or coconut oil
  • 4 oz bacon (roughly 4 slices), sliced into lardons/thin strips
  • 1 shallot, peeled and sliced
  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup white wine (*see note below*)
  • 1/2 cup water (*see note below*)
  • 1/2 cup, or small handful dried cranberries
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flake (use as much or as little as you can tolerate)
  • 1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence
  • Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp raw honey

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, pour 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive or coconut oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and separate the lardons with a wooden spoon. Add crushed red pepper, herbes de provence, and continue to render the bacon until it starts to get lightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and continue to cook until the bacon is nice and crispy, and the shallots are translucent and just beginning to caramelize, about another 3-4 minutes. Once bacon is crisp, remove all contents from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving about 3 to 4 tablespoons of fat in the skillet (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan). If you have too much fat leftover, please discard some of it.
  2. Arrange each brussel sprout, cut-side down into the skillet in an even layer. Immediately cover your skillet to trap the steam and let the brussels caramelize on their own, about 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. Off heat, carefully add the white wine, it may bubble up fiercely! The amount of wine you use will be determined by how large your skillet is, and how many brussels you have. You may need more or less, but the wine should not completely cover the brussel sprouts — it should rise maybe 1/4 of the way up. Add the salt and pepper, garlic, bacon, and cranberries — pushing the cranberries into the wine as much as you can. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Check the bottoms of the brussels often to make sure they don’t burn too much (although even when they get super dark they’re still amazing). If your wine is evaporating too quickly, add the 1/2 cup of water, at little at a time. Braise the brussels in the white wine and water (if needed) for about 8-15 minutes (depending on the size of your brussels), or until you can easily pierce them with a toothpick or wooden skewer. Thy should be tender but NOT mushy.
  3. Once the brussels are tender and the liquid has evaporated and soaked into each sprout, turn off the heat. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of honey all over the entire dish and GENTLY toss to combine, letting the heat melt the honey through every nook and crannie. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Total amount of wine used will depend greatly on the size of the skillet you’re using. A 12″ skillet will use about 3/4 cup, so if you’re using something smaller or larger than that, please adjust accordingly. Use the water if your wine is evaporating too quickly. You just want to keep the brussels moist long enough to braise until they’re tender, but not mushy.

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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Clean Eating: Quick & Easy Sauteed Tuscan Kale

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Kale is another one of those “super amazing superfoods” that helped me shed the pounds this year. You can really customize this quick and easy recipe to your personal needs. Here is one of my favorite ways to cook this bitter green down to deliciousness. I’m cheating by using pre-washed kale in a bag, purchased from Wegmans. It’s absolutely delicious. Although I’m not a fan of stems, and there are a few in here…it’s still a great dish. You can pick them out if you want — I usually do because I’m petty, I didn’t this time because I was lazy. Adding just a touch of honey at the end really mutes the bitterness associated with this vitamin-packed dark leafy green. You can use this recipe for any “tough” green vegetable, it works great with swiss or rainbow chard.

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Clean Eating: Quick & Easy Sauteed Tuscan Kale

  • Author: Resha from CarnalDish
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 4
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Ingredients

  • 16 oz Tuscan kale, washed and drained
  • 1 small shallot, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium fat free chicken broth (vegetable stock is acceptable)
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • coarse Himalayan sea salt, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp raw honey

Instructions

  1. Wash kale with cold water and let drain. Pour olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large skillet, and bring to heat over medium-heat, until oil begins to shimmer and have a webby appearance and red pepper flakes begin to sizzle.
  2. Add shallots and cook for 2 minutes, until translucent. Add the kale, carefully in an even layer. Cover with lid and let cook without stirring for 1 minute. Remove lid and stir kale and shallots around until evenly mixed. Cover again for 2 minutes. Add garlic, chicken broth, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Cover and let cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8-12 minutes.
  3. Depending on how tender you enjoy your kale, you could continue to cook it down even longer or enjoy it with al dente. Taste as you go, adjusting the seasoning as needed, adding more broth as needed. Add the honey at the very end to offset any bitterness.
  4. Serve and enjoy.
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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Clean Eating: Quick & Easy Skillet Sweet Potatoes

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Since January 1, 2014, I’ve been focusing on my health and losing weight. I’ve lived off an 80% clean diet with plenty of exercise, and had to part delicious ways with my beloved heavy cream pastas, super cheesy yeast breads, and sugar-laden bowls of dairy. I mean, we still hook up from time to time — but those days of eating them frequently WHILE sitting on my ass in front of a computer for 40 hours a week are long gone. I had to really focus on this. The hard work is continuing to pay off, as I’m down 40lbs and a crazy number of inches and still going strong. Don’t get things twisted, I am still about the comfort foods — I’ve just learned how to keep it cute.

I have a boatload of healthier recipes in the pipeline — that are absolutely tasty, and I wanted to start off with the most basic one — the one I got the most use from. Skillet sweet potatoes 🙂 I hope you find it beneficial to your clean-eating routine. My plan is to post as many of them as I can so you can start your New Years Resolution the right way.

I love sweet potatoes ANY kinda way you give them to me, but often don’t have time to either boil them, roast or bake them. When I come home from the gym, I need them done in 10-min. There are literally a ba’jillion ways you can flavor your sweet lil taters. Use your own combo or do this quick one that’s sure to satisfy your mouth. This recipe is quick, easy and clean. In order to get these potatoes done quickly, we’re going to have to cheat a bit. Hey, that’s just how things have to be sometimes. Par-cooking the potatoes in the microwave allows us to finish them off in a skillet with wonderfully fragrant coconut oil, slightly enhancing their natural sweetness. Don’t be tempted to add additional sugars or sweeteners, it’s not needed. We don’t want to hike up the glycemic-index anymore than we have to.

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Quick & Easy Skillet Sweet Potatoes

  • Author: Resha from CarnalDish
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 4
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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
  • 4 small sweet potatoes (or 2 large), peeled or unpeeled (your call), cut into 2″ pieces
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • pinch of ground ginger
  • pinch of cayenne
  • pinch of smoked paprika
  • pinch of coarse sea salt
  • 1 tsp lemon or orange zest (optional)

Instructions

  1. Peel skin from sweet potatoes (or don’t, but please scrub clean if leaving skin on). Slice each sweet potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into even sized 1″ or 2″ chunks.
  2. Place sweet potato chunks in a microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Poke 2-3 holes thru the plastic, and microwave on high for 5-7 minutes, checking after 5 minutes. Using a kitchen towel or oven mitts, remove the bowl from the microwave. Test a few potatoes with a toothpick (thru the poked holes). The toothpick should meet little resistance. Continue to microwave an additional minute if needed.
  3. Carefully remove plastic wrap, letting steam escape away from you. Season the potatoes and gently toss with rubber spatula, careful not to tear the potatoes apart.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat (I used an All-Clad skillet and they stuck a little but I didn’t care — I was hungry, they come out a lot better in a non-stick). Gently spread par-cooked sweet potato chunks in skillet, in a single layer. Allow potatoes to brown/caramelize on both sides, 2-4min per side. Be careful not to burn them, if you notice them browning too quickly, reduce heat.
  5. Remove potatoes from skillet and transfer to serving dish. Toss with lemon or orange zest, if using. Serve immediately.
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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

Quick and Easy Asparagus

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Spinach, broccoli, hericot verts, kale, brussels, and asparagus are our most frequently eaten green vegetables in this house. I realize I haven’t posted any vegetable recipes, and there’s a reason for that — I honestly thought no one cared lol. I treat veggies with respect most times, and keep them rather simple for our quick weeknight noms. Sometimes I’ll do something fancy with them, but not frequently. I didn’t think anyone wanted to know how I did this, but I guess I can post my quick and easy vegetable recipes as well as the more involved versions too, right? Wouldn’t hurt…

This is a very quick, very simple, very basic “recipe” for weeknight asparagus that can be done in about 10 minutes. You simple give the asparagus a quick head-start in the microwave to steam them, then toss them in a skillet with a little coconut oil, spices and boom — you’re done. Stupid easy. I know the nutmeg may seem weird, but trust me, it works here. You only need a tiny pinch, and you can eyeball the other measurements.

The skillet I’m using here is from T-Fal. I’m also using a microplane to grate the nutmeg. The clear bowls I use can be purchased on Amazon.

Quick and Easy Asparagus

1) our microwaved and drained asparagus. 2) seasonings I’m using, feel free to use whatever you’d like. 3) coconut oil ready to go! 4) add the asparagus and the seasonings and cook for just 3 to 4 minutes

Quick and Easy Asparagus

Quick and Easy Asparagus

Quick and Easy Asparagus

Quick and Easy AsparagusJust, delicious…and fast!

Stay tuned for more vegetable recipes in the near future, I have tons of them!

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Quick and Easy Asparagus

  • Author: Resha from CarnalDish
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 10 mins
  • Yield: 4
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Description

A super fast, delicious way to bring asparagus to your dinner table.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed (see note below)
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • pinch of sea salt
  • pinch of red pepper flake
  • pinch of granulated garlic
  • pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
  • pinch of black pepper

Instructions

  1. Trim off the woody ends of your asparagus (usually the last 2 inches). Place asparagus in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 tbsp water, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Punch a tiny hole in the center of the plastic wrap to allow the steam to vent. Microwave on high for about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully remove the plastic wrap, allowing the steam to ventilate away from you so that you don’t get burned. Drain the asparagus and set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and seasonings, and cook until edges of asparagus begin to caramelize just slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. Serve and enjoy

Notes

This method works best with thicker spears of asparagus. If your asparagus is on the thin side (like a pencil), steam them in the microwave for just 2 minutes vs. 4, and cook over the stove for just 2 minutes, instead of 4.

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Chef Resha

Chef Resha is an accomplished self-taught private chef, home cook, public figure, and recipe developer based in the DC Metro area. Creator and owner of CarnalDish — an incredibly delicious and renowned website full of sinful comfort food recipes made with love. CarnalDish has been featured on Good Morning Washington, Ebony magazine, Essence, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Newport, The Dr. Oz Show, and many more notable publications.

https://carnaldish.com

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