Tonight was one of those let’s see what’s in the pantry and
fridge kind of nights. Because I had too much fun this weekend to worry about
grocery shopping. To my delight, dinner came together beautifully. This easy skillet
meal made Sunday evening dinner a cinch, and only involved a handful of tools—a
skillet, a colander, a spatula, and a bowl—which made doing the dishes a breeze
(or should I say, a breeze for Ryan—thanks honey!). I used garlic, lemon, and
crushed red pepper flakes to give a little kick to the crispy sprouts. At the
last minute, I decided to throw in two of my always-on-hand staples: spinach
and artichoke hearts. I served this stress-free skillet dinner alongside bruschetta-topped
garlic herb bread. The acidity of the tomatoes paired perfectly with the rich
olive oil and lemony flavor of the Brussels sprouts. And best of all, dinner
was served in under 15 minutes without a trip to the grocery store.
Here’s the recipe.
Garlicky Fried Brussels Sprouts with Bruschetta
Ingredients for Brussels Sprouts:
10 oz. shaved raw Brussels sprouts (1 bag at Trader Joe’s)
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 ½ cups raw spinach
½ jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 ½ teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon lemon pepper
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Ingredients for Bruschetta:
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes, drained*
1 ½ teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
Fresh basil, chiffonade (about a handful)
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
Fresh bread (I like the garlic herb bread from Flying Apron)
*In the summer, I use fresh Roma or heirloom tomatoes when
they are in season.
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium high
heat. When the pan is hot and the oil is sizzling, add the shaved Brussels
sprouts, red pepper flakes and lemon pepper. Sauté for 7-8 minutes until they
start to char. To get the edges nice and brown, I like to limit how much I stir
them. Let them sit and just give them a good shove with a spatula every few
minutes.
While the Brussels sprouts are sautéing, add all the
bruschetta ingredients into a bowl, except the bread (of course). Reserve a
little of the basil for a garnish. Stir until well combined. Set aside for the
flavors to marinate.
Once the Brussels sprouts are close to done, throw the
spinach in and allow to wilt for a 1-2 minutes. Then, add the lemon juice and
garlic. Sauté for a couple more minutes until the artichokes are heated through,
the garlic is cooked (but not brown), and the spinach is fully wilted. Add sea salt
and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Top the bread with the bruschetta mixture and serve
alongside the Brussels sprouts. Enjoy!
