Last night my husband and I traveled to New York to meet a group of friends for an impromptu dinner at Alta, a tapas restaurant in the West Village. Between the seven of us we shared 20 delectable small plates with the unanimous favorite being the Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Fuji Apples, Crème Fraîche and Pistachios — it was the only dish we ordered twice! I have already written to the “R.S.V.P” and “You Asked For It” sections of Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines, respectively, requesting this recipe from Alta’s Chef Mosher, but in the meantime I have done a little experimenting of my own. While my husband and I were not disappointed with my attempted re-creation — charred Brussels sprouts, sweet apples, sour crème fraîche and toasted pistachios alone combine to form a delicious mixture of contrasting flavors and textures — something was missing. At Alta, over our second plate of these crispy mini cabbages, we all mused and speculated about this indiscernible ingredient: a very flavorful, at once vinegary, sweet and sharp sauce present in each mouthful. Here, I’ve reduced balsamic vinegar with honey to capture this effect and until I hear from one of the above contacted authorities with the secret formula, I can survive with this substitute. While we enjoyed this side dish tonight with our hamburgers, the combination of Brussels sprouts and apples would be especially delicious served aside a nice, juicy pork chop.
No reviews
