roasted cauliflower (or brussesls sprouts) with fish sauce vinaigrette and spicy puffed rice

two weeks ago,

when we went to colleen's

for her housewarming party,

i brought black sesame marshmallows,

pimiento cheese sandwiches,

the makings of a gorgonzola

and caramelized onion tart

and no present -

i had left it at home,

on the bed in the second bedroom.

i felt bad. really bad.

but, she gave me my holiday present anyway:

david chang's momofuku.

now, i'm not sure if she knows this,

(and i know he doesn't know it),

but i have a love-hate relationship

with david chang.

it started years ago,

with this article in

new york magazine.

at first, it was that he posed

with a dead pig. just not for me.

but then, as i read the article,

i knew that i should be annoyed

at him for his attitude toward non-meat eaters,

basically mocking them by removing

all things meat-free from the menu after

a bad incident with a haughty vegetarian.

as someone who doesn't eat meat,

i've spent many nights in a restaurant,

choosing between the pasta primavera

and the roasted vegetable sandwich -

and i usually hate every minute of those meals.

but instead of turning my back,

i had a very strong urge

to go to his restaurant and order the

ginger scallion noodles, the only

vegetarian dish he left on his menu.

i loved the fact that he didn't care -

that he loved meat and he was not

going to change who he was to appeal

to the masses. i loved that he was

standing his ground. (can you tell

that at the time, i was feeling

very suppressed in my own life?)

but, i still haven't gone.

instead, last year for larry's birthday,

i decided to to prove i was crazy.

he was turning 30 and i wanted it

to be a great birthday. the birthday.

the one that he would remember

and talk about for a long time to come.

but, if you remember, larry's birthday

is on valentine's day and it is not easy

to plan anything that is simply a birthday

on february 14th - especially when this

particular one fell on a saturday.

so, after saying no to my initial ideas -

a wine expo,

a long weekend away in baltimore,

a barbecue festival weeks away -

i decided that i would get us reservations

at momofuku ko,

willing to go to a place that was,

again, very meat-happy, to give

larry a good birthday.

i'd heard all the stories

(in case you haven't, you can read

about this heart breaker of a restaurant

here, here or here).

but, really i thought, stupidly,

it will be different for me.

reservations can only be made

online, one week before, at 10 am.

so about two weeks before

larry's birthday, i sat at the computer,

set the second hand and practiced

to make sure that my clock was

set to exactly the same time as ko's.

when it said 9:59 and my second hand

showed 8 seconds left until 10,

i clicked. the entire block was covered

in red Xs. i had been shut out

and it was 10:00:18.

i stared at the screen.

how in the....? how could...?

but it was ok, i could brush it off.

this was my first day on the job and

i just needed to get in the groove.

i wasn't worried.

now it was february 8th.

it was a sunday and i had spent

the whole week trying to get in,

only to see just two green checks

the entire time, both instances

ending when i was told

that i was too slow

in my clicking.

but this was the last day -

i hadn't gotten in the whole time

because i was meant to get reservations

for his actual birthday. i just knew it.

i closed the door to our second bedroom,

set the clock to the second hand, practiced

for 14 minutes - i was determined - and when

i hit the button seconds before 10, i saw

a sea of red Xs. i didn't realize it until after,

but i was shaking from the stress of it all.

and then, i burst out crying.

i had put all my eggs in ko's basket and now,

i was plan-less. larry walked in on me crying,

saw the second hand setting on the computer

and somehow, put two and two together.

he swore that it was impossible -

i still think it is not - and that there are computers

set up to crack the reservation system - chang

says this is not true.

in the end,

his birthday was ok

(even good, i hope he would say).

we started at perilla, with an amazing,

quiet brunch, strolled through the village,

frequented a couple of bars

with hard to find beers and ended up

at hill country.

but, i was angry again at chang:

how could he do this to people?

it hurt my brain.

but, it's been a year

and my feelings toward him

have been mellowing,

just as my interest in visiting

one of his restaurants is returning.

it was a perfect time to receive the book.

i opened it up,

flipped a few pages and landed

on the roasted cauliflower with fish sauce vinaigrette.

it had everything i love:

roasted cauliflower,

fish sauce

and an element of weird: rice krispies.

the next page was even better:

the same recipe, but with brussels sprouts.

the next evening, at home,

i read the entire book,

mentally remembering the recipes

that i wanted to make (there are quite

a few meatless options in there),

but deciding that the cauliflower would

be the first, and soon.

the next day,

pithy and cleaver wrote about

the cauliflower - all good things

and a confirmation that i could skip

the one step i was skeptical about,

frying cilantro.

i had already decided,

but that helped.

that weekend,

i went back to mitsuwa,

bought a tiny bottle of schichimi togarashi,

the japanese 7-seasoning spice that is

often used in sushi and that i once

enjoyed sprinkled over vanilla ice cream

in a restaurant. i picked up a head of cauliflower,

some cilantro, mint and when i couldn't

find a bird's eye chile, a serrano.

otherwise, everything was in the house.

(also purchased: beautiful brussels sprouts.

when i saw them, it dawned on me -

i'd have the vinaigrette made,

i could make extra crunchies -

the next night would be the perfect night to

remake the recipe, using the sprouts.)

i made the fish sauce vinaigrette early

in the day - chopped garlic, sliced

the serrano and whisked everything together.

a few hours later,

i busied myself, cutting cilantro stems,

slivering mint, turning a head of cauliflower

into florets and toasting the puffed rice.

i resisted the urge to salt the cauliflower

before, during or after roasting,

figuring that david chang had his reasons,

(yes, i assumed one of them was fish sauce),

but still it went against my roasting beliefs.

when the cauliflower was ready,

i looked toward the vinaigrette.

it was way too much. the recipe didn't

actually specify an amount; i tossed

less than half into the bowl,

added the cauliflower and shook it all together -

there was a lot of vinaigrette left

on the bottom. it was too late to worry.

instead, i sprinkled the roasted florets

with chopped cilantro, added the spicy

puffed rice and took pictures.

and then, i remembered something about

puffed rice. regardless of toasting,

regardless of adding spices,

the little morsels were still just cereal.

cereal that gets just a bit soggy

when doused with milk, or um,

fish sauce vinaigrette.

it's my fault for taking a bunch of

pictures. eaten immediately, probably,

there would have been a much

lower number of casualties.

but, still, it was a solid,

flavor-packed side that we easily

finished between the two of us.

(the fact that i put so much energy

into the cauliflower and very little

thought into a main dish,

didn't hurt either.)

the next night,

i followed chang's instructions

for brussels sprouts,

halving them,

browning them in a skillet

and then finishing them in the oven.

the vinaigrette was even better after

sitting for the day, the herbs were chopped

and the topping browned, so the second

try was even simpler.

on night two, i was smarter, only sprinkling

on a few for the picture (and dumber:

i was in such a hurry to not soften the cereal

that i did not get a passable shot - sorry),

but saved the rest to sprinkle on the sprouts

just as they were served.

we both loved this version -

the brussels sprouts soaked up the

fish sauce mixture and the

crunchy, spicy cereal did wonders

for the texture of the dish.

final verdict?

yum.

overall opinion of the book?

everything looks unbelievably good and

i cannot wait to make the next recipe.

i really shouldn't be surprised -

david chang always wins.

roasted cauliflower with fish sauce vinaigrette and spicy puffed rice

adapted from momofuku

as i mentioned above, i did not fry the cilantro. the recipe called for heating 1/2 cup grapeseed oil (something else i didn't have) and frying 1/2 cup of the leaves. i just did not want to fry or waste the oil (but if you do and think its worth it, tell me). i'm giving you the full version for the vinaigrette, but keep in mind that we still had some left over after making one recipe and using it twice - chang says leftovers are great on meat or tossed with noodles. when i made the mixture, i reduced the sugar and upped the garlic, which i've written below. last thing, these spicy rice krispies are delicious - i'm actively trying to decide what else i can do with it.

i've included the brussels sprouts version in this recipe. chang called for 32 ounces, but i used 20. smallish brussels sprouts are best.

1/3 cup (or more) fish sauce vinaigrette (recipe below)

2 tablespoons very thinly sliced cilantro stems

3 tablespoons thinly sliced mint

1 head cauliflower OR 2 containers (10 ounces each) brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons, plus 1/2 teaspoon canola or grapeseed oil, divided

1/2 cup puffed rice

1/2 teaspoon shichimi togarashi

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

heat oven to 400˚f.

for cauliflower: core cauliflower; cut into florets. in bowl, combine cauliflower and 2 tablespoons oil. divide cauliflower evenly among two foil-lined baking sheets, spreading to separate (this will ensure that they roast, not steam).

for brussels sprouts: trim and halve brussels sprouts. in large ovenproof skillet over medium, heat 2 tablespoons oil 1 minute. add brussels sprouts, halved side down; cook 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown. transfer skillet to the oven and cook 10-15 minutes, or until tender, but not not soft.

meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together fish sauce vinaigrette, cilantro stems and mint; set aside.

in small bowl, combine puffed rice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil and shichimi togarashi. warm small skillet over medium-high heat; add puffed rice mixture and toast 2-4 minutes, or until you can smell the mixture and it has turned a slightly darker shade, shaking occasionally.

in bowl, combine hot cauliflower (or hot brussels sprouts) and vinaigrette mixture; transfer to serving bowl or plates. sprinke with chopped cilantro and puffed rice mixture.

fish sauce vinaigrette

1/2 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons sugar

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced (or 1 to 3 bird's eye chiles)

in small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. store in tightly covered container for up to one week.

getting up to speed

you know those days that

you get home from work,

pour yourself a glass of wine

and then take your shoes off?

well, that's the kind of two

weeks its been. so, while

i have a working post that has

received two to three lines each night,

i'm not crazy about how long it has

taken me to get something - anything - out.

so, in the interest of, well,

still being here, i'm posting not

a story or recipe,

but pictures of some things i've

cooked that haven't quite

made it to the blog.

oh, and, it took me a while

to admit this, because i wanted

to be sure that i could hack it in

the scary world of social media,

but i think i'm finally getting

the hang of all this stuff.

so, i think now, i can finally say it:

not lazy. rustic.

is now on twitter and facebook.

twitter: @notlazyrustic

facebook: not lazy. rustic.

now...for some pictures. (and while we're on the subject of pictures, i'm on flickr, too: as brooke herman.)

roasted parsnip, apple and onion puree with honey and whisky.

cod fillets baked in garlicky and spicy chickpeas.

lemon and rosemary roast chicken - delicious, even though it was accidentally roasted upside down. what? don't judge.

thinly sliced wok-cooked brussels sprouts with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame.

from 101 cookbooks - acorn squash baked with corn pudding and topped with broiled cheese and sliced scallions.

my mom's kugel - made with applesauce and egg noodles. topped with graham cracker crumbs - i added ground cinnamon.

roasted baby brussels sprouts with lemon and almonds

i guess i can say that growing up,

my sisters and i were pretty lucky

when it came to vegetables.

none of us were especially picky

eaters. sure, one of us went through

a stage where nothing leafy and green

(read: parsley) could be on her food,

and for one, my mom had to lie and

say we were not eating brown rice

with dinner, but 'special rice' and maybe,

one of us decided for no real reason

to give up meat, chicken and turkey

at the age of twelve. and, yes, none

of us enjoyed indian food. but still,

we were relatively agreeable for kids,

not only willing, but excited to eat

calamari, lobster, clams and mussels,

avocados and pine nuts,

gefilte fish, chopped liver and lox.

maybe it was because we were

generally so willing to try things -

when it came to vegetables,

my mom let us be.

they were always on the table,

always offered to us,

and sometimes heavily encouraged,

but never insisted upon.

i remember eating dinner

at friend's houses, and later, babysitting,

for people, who would not let

their children leave the table until

every piece of

spinach,

broccoli,

carrot,

was consumed.

and i always felt for them.

i think my mom

(who please understand, still

had her demands, like making

us drink a glass of milk

with. every. single. meal.

regardless of whether it was

peanut butter & jelly or chicken or pizza

and instated a one-sweet-a-week rule)

wanted us to come to the vegetables

on our own, learn to love them

as she did, instead of looking

at them as something negative.

and we did.

it would be impossible

to enjoy

or appreciate

farmer's markets,

otherwise.

and, fortunately, in finding

my inner vegetable lover,

i found brussels sprouts.

it is an old story that

boiled sprouts gave these

green rounds their bad name,

but i'd rather focus on the already

old-news new story:

when roasted, sauteed, blanched,

slivered, separated and shaved

they are amazing.

my favorite way is,

of course roasted:

halved and tossed with

olive oil, then cooked at

a high heat until they

are browned

and slightly crisp

and almost sweet.

simple.

when i found baby brussels sprouts

on sunday, so tiny that they

looked too cute not to buy

(yes, i am a sucker),

i brought them home.

this was not the time to thinly slice,

or pull apart into tiny leaves.

instead, i wanted to keep them whole,

roast them and enjoy them like popcorn

(on the side of a sensible meal, of course).

once trimmed

(which oh goodness, reminds me:

there are a ton of brussels sprouts

in a 1 pound bag of minis -

this took a while),

tossed with olive oil

and sprinkled with salt,

i got to work toasting almonds

and garlic together, zesting

and juicing a lemon and waiting.

i didn't have to wait long.

they were browned and sizzling

in 12 minutes. as soon as they came

out of the oven, i emptied the pan

into a bowl with everything else,

shook until it was combined

and, well, that was it.

this recipe is not winning

an award for longest,

trickiest or

most ingredients.

because they cook so fast

and are so small,

you're able to get a relatively

well-rounded brown,

which is great for me -

i like my veggies ultra dark.

extra caramelization =

extra delicious.

and that's what these were,

tiny temptations so good,

i think any kid would have

trouble resisting them.

roasted baby brussels sprouts with lemon and almonds

if these were missing anything, i think it may have been a sprinkling of grated parm, but we were eating them as a side dish for fish. next time, i would add the cheese. normally i'm pretty strict about my mise en place, but this was so no-frill that i was able to stick the brussels sprouts in the oven and have everything ready to toss by the time they came out. and, i know that it's odd to cook the garlic in a dry pan - i was actually skeptical when i decided to do it - but the process worked. they didn't get brown, they just softened enough to lose their strong bite and they cooked a bit more when tossed with the steaming hot sprouts.

1 pound baby brussels sprouts, ends trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

kosher salt and cracked black pepper

1/4 cup slivered almonds

3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 lemon, zested and halved

heat oven to 400˚f. place brussels sprouts on rimmed aluminum foil-lined baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil. sprinkle generously with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. bake 12 minutes, or until spotted with golden deep brown spots, shaking pan twice during cooking to rotate vegetables.

meanwhile, place almonds in small skillet. toast over medium-low heat until just starting to color. add garlic slivers and cook 1 or 2 minutes more, or until garlic is no longer raw and almonds are nicely browned, but not burnt.

place vegetables in bowl; add garlic-almond mixture. squeeze 1/2 lemon over brussels sprouts, catching seeds. add 1 teaspoon lemon zest. toss to combine. season with kosher salt and pepper. transfer to serving bowl. top with strips of lemon peel, if desired.