Cruciferous vegetables are a heavy-hitting family of vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts—these delicious veggies make frequent appearances in our lives and meals. Need a quick vegetable side dish? Roast some cauliflower or brussels sprouts for dinner. Need a simple vegetable snack? Cut up some broccoli and serve it with dill dip.
All of these vegetables taste delicious with almost nothing done to them and that’s all the more reason to love them. And yet, sometimes, it’s fun to elevate these workhorse vegetables with a little extra care. We invited three chefs to get creative with their favorite cruciferous crops, and the results are absolutely delicious.
Spiced Cauliflower Steaks with Warm Tart Cherry Vinaigrette
Roasted cauliflower has always been Michelle Dubis’ go-to for a vegetarian entree to serve at events or at home. She loves bold flavors that come forward when roasted on high heat. This recipe pairs the robust flavor of caramelized, spiced cauliflower with cherries, herbs and nuts to yield a well-balanced, beautiful plate filled with colors and textures.
Autumn Harvest Salad
Adam Struebing has always been passionate about using local food to build big flavors. He loves giving attention to each unique ingredient in a way that makes it come alive. His candied pecans and pickled apples in this recipe exemplify this approach, but if you are short on time, toasted nuts and fresh sliced apples will suffice. For the best flavor, Struebing loves to use tart apples from Door Creek Orchard and always asks second-generation owner Liz Griffith what she thinks will work best for a particular recipe.
Pork Chops with Apple Bacon Cabbage
Cabbage is perhaps the greatest unsung hero of the cruciferous family. This hearty staple crop is packed with nutrients and can easily become the foundation of countless meals, and yet, it never seems to get the credit it deserves. In this recipe, Laurel Burleson helps the humble cabbage sing with salty bacon and sweet fall apples. She loves to use Cosmic Crisp, Ida Red or Honeycrisp varieties of apples because she finds they pair best with cabbage.
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