Sunday, March 17, 2013

NEW BLOG- NEW WEBSITE- YOU MUST RE-SUBSCRIBE!!!



Hello everyone, 
I am really excited to announce the launch of my new website, kimkushner.com, formerly kimkushnercuisine. My NEW BLOG will be on the new website, with a fresh, new look, where you will find information about all of the things I am doing, tasting, cooking, teaching and writing about. I’ve taken all of your suggestions and requests into account and my new blog is super user-friendly, iPad and iPhone compatible. The recipes are now easier than ever to navigate by category. Please note that my new blog can be found directly on my website kimkushner.com by clicking the “blog” tab or visit: kimkushner.com/blog.
For those of you who have received this blog post as an email,  and for those of you who would like to start having my recipes emailed directly to you, YOU MUST REMEMBER TO RE-SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEW BLOG (even if you were already subscribed you will need to re-subscribe to the new blog) When you subscribe, you will be automatically sent a new recipe every time I post. To subscribe, simply visit the NEW BLOG, and enter your name and email address where it says: "sign up for our newsletter". This may be a new blog, but all of the recipes, new and old, can be found on it! And, if you haven’t already, please check out my book trailer for The Modern Menu, available for purchase on amazon.com I would love to hear all of your feedback and comments. Thank you for all of your support. Keep it simple and keep cooking!

Love, Kim

Sunday, March 10, 2013

"Bowl of Crack"


When I was first introduced to quinoa a few years back, I just didn't let myself like it. To tell you the truth, I just looked up "quinoa" on wikipedia to try to define exactly what it is to you guys, and I still  don't get it. It's not really a seed, not really, a grain, not really a cereal, but somehow related to beets and spinach (which is probably why there's some confusion as to whether it can be eaten for passover or not- feel free to comment!) Well, these little tiny things called quinoa have become my latest obsession. But, if you ask me, they have got to be prepared properly, and I have ONE very simple, but strict rule.

The base of the quinoa dish should not be the quinoa. Use more of every other ingredient, and less of the quinoa. The quinoa should appear "sprinkled throughout the dish, not as the main ingredient.

And here's why:

Quinoa has a translucent, almost slimy texture and if there is too much of it in one mouthful, it sort of reminds me of the feeling of those pop-rocks candies I used to eat growing up....like in the back of your head, you feel like you just shouldn't be eating this.

Last weekend, my friend Natali threw an amazing dinner party and she served the best quinoa I ever tasted. This weekend, I adapted her recipe a little bit, using what I had at home, and I will never again make quinoa any other way. As my husband referred to it: "pass over that bowl of crack!"

Quinoa, Fresh Herbs, Lime...
serves 4-6

I used dill, cilantro, and flat leaf parsley, but feel free to use any fresh herbs you like and even kale will work.

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well under cold water
1 big bunch fresh dill
1 big bunch fresh cilantro
1 big bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
juice from 1 lemon
juice from 2 limes
4 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 handful of toasted pine nuts (you can use any nut you have on hand)
1 handful golden raisins (I am SO not a raisin person, but I found a bag of these- and they worked so well: mild, sweet tasting and the color really enhanced the golden hue of the quinoa, like little gems)
lots of salt and black pepper to bring out the taste

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. I usually bring 2 cups of water to a boil, stir in the quinoa, and throw in a little salt. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, and then transfer into a large bowl.
Use a large chef's knife to chop all of the fresh herbs into teeny tiny pieces. I use the herbs and their stems too (if you are using kale, don't use the stems from the kale). Doing this by hand is pretty important because a food processor will make the herbs too mushy. Once they are finely chopped, throw them into the bowl. Squeeze the lemons and limes over, and add the oil and vinegar. Stir in the nuts and raisins, and season well with salt and pepper.
The flavors of the fresh herbs really burst, and this quinoa literally tastes like spring. Make it your own version, and let me know what you think please!!!

Monday, February 25, 2013

COOKBOOK!!!

Hi guys! 

Things related to the Modern Menu are getting so exciting around here! My book trailer is live, check it out and help me generate some views:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOcCAEKPQ2Q

Thanks to my friend and videographer, Damani Baker, whose excellent eye shines through in this video.
PLEASE SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND I WOULD LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!!!!!


THANKS!!
KIM

Monday, February 18, 2013

Hamentaschen- it's a personal thing!

Here's the thing about hamentaschen- everyone likes them their way. Cakey, crunchy, soft, with bite....you know the drill. I can't tell you how many email requests I've gotten for a great hamentaschen recipe. Well, here's what I have to offer: My thoughts on hamentaschen recipes!
If you ask me, look for a simple sugar cookie dough recipe. Butter is best. After trying so many different hamentaschen dough recipes, I pretty much stumbled upon the one that I love best!
Last week, I was hit with the purim bug, and I pulled the freezer open to check on my inventory, and there, staring me in the eye, was my golden ticket.  A Ziploc freezer bag filled with a batch of Martha Stewart's Sugar Cookie Dough. "How bad could this be?" I thought to myself...
Let me tell you this bag of frozen dough was the answer to all of my hamentaschen frustrations. Working with the cold dough made it easy to fill and fold the hamentaschen. And the simplicity of this butter-based cookie recipe created perfectly crisp, golden, thin hamentaschen- just the way I think them!!
Now, as for filling, that is where you can get creative...or not. Apricot preserves with a dash of cinnamon are always my family's favorite. Or, you can try stirring some melted dark chocolate into a jar of raspberry preserves for a rich, raspberry truffle taste. And of course, you just can not go wrong with nutella filling.
Just remember to divide the dough into quarters and work with one batch at a time, keeping the other quarters in the refrigerator while you work. Have your filling ready to go, and always, always work directly on a sheet of parchment paper! Rolling, cutting and folding directly on the parchment paper makes it so much easier- all you need to do is place the parchment sheet onto a cookie sheet and bake in the oven, no messy transferring necessary.

Sugar Cookie Dough

4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoons salt
5 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla and salt; mix on medium-high until combined. With mixer on low speed, add flour in 2 batches mixing just until Incorporated. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Divide into 4 and pat into flatten disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or up to a few days. You may also freeze this dough for up to 2 months. (Thaw in fridge before rolling out).

Filling:

Use your favorite preserves (I love Sarabeth's Apricot-Peach), Nutella with chopped hazlenuts, chocolate kisses...etc

Hamentaschen
one batch of dough makes 40-50 hamentaschen

Preheat oven to 375.
Once the dough is quite cold, flour your rolling pin. Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface, and roll the dough out (on the parchment paper) to 1/8 inch thickness. It may be easier to place a second sheet over the top of the dough and roll with the rolling pin over the parchment sheet. Dip a drinking glass in some flour and cut 'rounds' out of the dough. Place a heaping teaspoon of your filling into the center of each round and pinch the corners together together forming a triangular shape. Pinch the dough securely to hold the filling in. Collect the leftover dough, form into a ball and refrigerate and reuse. Transfer your parchment paper onto a baking sheet and place in the oven, bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.







FYI

HI!!

I just wanted to let you know that I am currently working on re-vamping my website and blog! I have taken all of your suggestions and the end result is gonna be amazing. You will be able to search for recipes by category: salads, fish, meat, desserts..etc.. It will be super-easy to navigate and also IPAD & IPHONE friendly... I am loving it!!
I have so many exciting things in store and just want to thank you all for all your support and feedback! Keep it coming and keep cooking!

Love, Kim

Friday, February 8, 2013

Perfect Stormy Cake

So, this morning, like most Friday mornings, I went into the kitchen to bake a cake. My usual chocolate chiffon cake- a recipe I make almost every week. This is my go-to cake recipe. It's tall, dark and handsome- just the way I like them. I've probably made it a hundred times. Only this time, it wasn't going to go as planned. The house smelled lovely, the batter look perfect, but as the cake cooled, the entire thing shrivelled, slanted and hardened. Things don't always go as planned. C'est la vie. No use crying over bad cake.

The truth is, this wasn't the first time a cake of mine has gone bad. I'm human, and I really believe that sometimes, if it's not meant to be, it's just not meant to be. So, I tossed it and decided to bake an even better cake. (Just a note, if a recipe goes wrong, I never EVER try to make it a second time. For me, it's just not in the cards for that particular recipe at that particular time...you?)
So, I quickly pulled out my go-to cookbook, Norene Gilletz's, The Food Processor Bible. (Norene is a Canadian cookbook legend- her recipes define the term: "tried & true"). I skimmed the pages and came across exactly what I was looking for: 'best coffee cake'- how could I go wrong?
This crumbly, chocolatey, crunchy cake is made in the food processor- only one clean up and tastes heavenly. I love a classic white coffee cake but for some reason, I was drawn to the chocolate in this one. The recipes calls for the cake to be baked in a square baking pan, but I baked in in a 9-inch springform instead. I was in the mood for a round cake.. also, couldnt help but think that this cake would be perfect in individual cake molds- something special for my guests at my next dinner party. Another note, I didnt have any sour cream or plain yogurt so I used 2 small vanilla flavored baby yogurts- that's what I love about cooking, the ability to use what you have!!
This chocolate-pecan-crumb cake looks just right for a snowy, slushy day. With a steaming cup of coffee, I can't wait to cut into this one.

 Topping: pecans, cocoa, choc chips, brown sugar, cinnamon- yum!
Pull that food processor of yours out of storage and use it for this!
 Use what you have to make it work!!
Beautiful!



Tuesday, February 5, 2013

A Salad with Texture


Crunchy, chewy, crispy, juicy, squashy, runny, solid, hard, soft, soggy, firm, creamy, grainy.

These words have something in common: texture. In my kitchen, I like to focus on how the food I make “feels.” In The Modern Menu, I tackle the importance of texture in cooking. It turns out the human mouth is incredibly sensitive – you all know the feeling of freezer burned ice-cream, for instance. Not good.

When it comes to texture, I particularly love bright, layered salads where all the components come together in one cohesive bite after another. There’s a recipe I’d like to share, though I recommend some slight modifications due to some ingredients being out of season. Instead of peaches, I recommend using green apples or another type of seasonal fruit you like.

Happy cooking - and remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect!

Spinach, Haricots Vert, and Avocado Salad with Crunchy Honey Dressing

Crunchy, salty, sweet, and sharp — this salad has it all! The dressing contributes texture with sunflower and sesame seeds as well as sweetness and tang with honey
and cider vinegar. All in all, a unique and delicious concoction.

8 Cups baby spinach
Handful haricots verts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into small cubes
1 White peach, skin-on, pitted and cut into very thin slices
¼ Cup sugar
¼ Cup honey
¼ Cup vegetable oil
¼ Cup cider vinegar
1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Garlic clove, minced
¼ Cup salted shelled sunflower seeds
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

Place the spinach, haricots verts, avocado, and peach in a large bowl or on a large platter. Combine the sugar, honey, vegetable oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to thoroughly combine. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat all over.

Serves 6 to 8

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Just an update...



Hello Everyone!
If you received a message from Amazon about my book being delayed, it's actually good news! Due to the tremendous number of pre-orders on Amazon, my publisher pushed the pub date of my book back a few weeks. We needed to make sure that books would be available in bookstores and specialty retailers across the country, and they just needed a little more time to accomplish this. I appreciate your patience while you wait for your copy of The Modern Menu to arrive. It'll be worth the wait!  

In the meantime, I will continue to post stories and recipes from 'The Modern Menu' here, so check back often for those. 

Thanks so much for your support!

Love, 
Kim
 

Sunday, January 20, 2013

A Recipe Sneak Peek...



Here is a little sneak peek into one of the recipes and photographs you will find in my new cookbook, ''The Modern Menu'. The recipes all follow my usual, simple, straightforward style. Lots of flavor, not a lot of fuss. The stunning photographs found in the book were taken by award-winning photographer and filmmaker, Andrew Zuckerman. 
The holidays may be over but the season for squash and root vegetables definitely isn't. I wanted to share this amazingly magical flavor combination: Gingered Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes. It’s a flavor match-up that always surprises people when they first taste it. If you've been following the blog, you'll know by now I have a bit of a love affair with these ingredients, but I just can’t get enough of the sharpness of the ginger when added to the creaminess of the butternut squash and sweet potatoes - it's a wonderful contrast. 

I like to make this in the morning, turn off the oven, and leave it in there all day long. Your house will smell so good, you’ll want to make it again and again. To keep things simple, sometimes I make this a day in advance, cover and refrigerate, then reheat in a low oven until warm. 

Gingered Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes 
Serves 8

1 Large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch wedges
4   Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 
2-inch wedges
3 Yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced 
1 (4-inch) piece ginger, peeled and julienned 
5 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon kosher salt 
½ Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet 
with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine the squash, sweet potatoes, 
onions, ginger, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use your 
hands to mix everything together until the wedges 
are evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking 
sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake, uncovered, 
for 40 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300°F 
and bake for an additional 90 minutes. Reduce the 
oven temperature to 200°F and bake 1 hour longer. 
The potatoes and squash should be crisp on the 
outside and soft on the inside. If you are not serving 
this dish immediately, keep in the oven, with the 
oven turned off, until serving.


Friday, January 11, 2013

Introducing my COOKBOOK!


2013 is going to be a very great year. I’m very excited to announce that I have finished my first cookbook and it is being published this spring!
The Modern Menu: Simple. Beautiful. Kosher. is the result of countless hours in the kitchen, time I’ve spent with some of you reading and some by myself, lost in my own world.

I feel like I could fill several books with all the recipes I can’t live without, but because I had to control myself, I settled on the selected recipes you’ll find in my book. Something that I kept in mind while writing the book was a familiar motto that guides my cooking, especially when I’m making something up as I go along:

Less is more. Simple is best.

I’ve split the book into seasonal menus with their own themes from “Crisp” which highlights the role of texture in cooking to “Vibrant” which focuses on bringing out the colors of various dishes, and you’ll just have to consider pre-ordering by clicking here for your own shelf to see the other tricks I have up my sleeve.

The book is all about being creative and taking risks in the kitchen – if the risk doesn’t turn out, I always learn something new, and if it does, then wow! A new dish has been born…the grilled cheese croutons for instance. I’m still not over how surprisingly good those were.

I’ll be sharing recipes from The Modern Menu regularly to give you all sneak peeks into what’s in store, and in the meantime, I always love hearing what’s on your modern menu wishlists for 2013, so please keep the comments and questions coming as they arise. For fans of Andrew Zuckerman’s work, check back here often – I’ll be posting some of the images he contributed to the book as well!

Happy cooking,
Kim 

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Rustic Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons..

I made this soup almost by mistake a few days ago when my whole family was coming to visit. It was cold outside, and I was too tired to leave the apartment and go to the supermarket. I opened the fridge and stared at a variety of tomatoes: 2 large beefsteak, moldy/softened tomatoes, a Tupperware of sliced tomatoes (leftovers from the bagel & lox platter I ordered the day before), a box of colorful cherry tomatoes...I just had to come up with something...and in fact, it was easier than I thought.
I literally just threw every tomato item I had in the apartment into a large pot (including sun-dried tomatoes in oil), and the result was spectacular. I was going to serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, but at the last minute, I decided to cut the grilled cheese sandwiches into bite-sized croutons, and this is what really got me the rave reviews...So easy, so simple, so good. 

Rustic Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Makes 1 large pot, enough for 10 people, but can be frozen in smaller batches

*Note that the ingredients in this recipe do not need to be exact, it is all give or take a little bit...you can't mess it up, I promise.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced into small pieces
1 large onion (white or yellow), peeled and diced into small pieces
2 celery ribs, diced into small pieces
1-2 cans diced tomatoes (with their liquid)
1 can tomato paste
1-2 cans tomato sauce
any fresh tomatoes you have: large tomatoes should be cut up and small tomatoes can just be thrown in
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (include the oil), optional
a bunch of fresh basil
lots of salt and freshly ground black pepper
good extra virgin olive oil, chili pepper flakes or chili oil, optional

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions and celery. Cover the pot and let cook, about 5 minutes. Stir together, and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes, until the veggies are softened and translucent. Add all the tomatoes and sauces. Toss in the bunch of basil, and stir lightly. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid. Reduce the temperature to medium-low, and and cook (covered) for about 30-40 minutes. (Meanwhile, you can prepare the grilled cheese croutons, see recipe all the way below) When you uncover the pot, everything should be softened and 'melting' together. Use an immersion blender to blend it all together, including the basil. Taste it, and season generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, chili oil, or sprinkle on chili flakes. Serve immediately, or bring to room temperature before refrigerating until ready to serve...Freezes and reheats well.
carrots, onions and celery (also called mirepoix)- you can buy this mixture already prepared at many supermarkets!
I used some left-over sliced tomatoes
use all the liquids in the cans and packages, don't strain anything

the more variety, the merrier
add sun-dried tomatoes and their oil
a beautiful bunch of basil adds a punch of flavor
 a hand immersion blender makes it so easy
make it as smooth or chuncky as you like
 
beautiful
a good drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil

Don't forget the croutons- they take it to the next level!

Grilled Cheese Croutons
makes a ton of croutons!

8 pieces of sliced bread, I used honey whole wheat
your favorite cheese (mozzarella, muenster...goats cheese)
lots of butter

Place the cheese in between two pieces of bread and spread butter on the outside of each piece of bread.
If using a panini press (if you don't own one, it's a great investment): cook the sandwiches in the press until golden and toasty, Remove and let cool. Use a sharp knife to cut each sandwich into tiny cubes.

If you don't have a panini press, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the buttered sandwich on the pan and place a heavy plate over the sandwich to press it down as it cooks. Turn the sandwich over and repeat on the other side. Remove from pan, and cool. Use a sharp knife to cut each sandwich into tiny cubes.

The grilled cheese croutons can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Before serving, lay them on a baking sheet and heat them up in a preheated 375 oven for 10 minutes to crisp them up and make them melty inside.
Enjoy!




Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Crispy, Salty & Oily- Latkes the real way

Every year I swear that I won't do it again the next year. Latkes. But then, the holiday season approaches: bright lights fill the sky, Christmas music blares from every radio station, the streets of NYC are packed with holiday shoppers. I can't help but love this time of year. It is my absolute favorite. In place of a Christmas tree, I decorate a "Chanukkah Table", full of wrapped gifts for my children, dreidels, tons of chanukkah gelt, and menorahs. I guess it's as close as I can get. And once I'm in the holiday spirit, I can't help but get the urge to whip out the potatoes and onions and start from scratch. I know that I could pick up some pretty decent latkes at many places in New York, but we all know that nothing, I mean nothing, beats homemade. So, with my Christmas music blasting, I roll up my sleeves, crack the windows open, and start frying... 
But, I will say that this year was different than most. I think I may have finally figured out how to actually enjoy the latke making process. Below you will find a few tips in red.

Best Potato Latkes
makes about 22 small latkes (actually the perfect size!)
In the past I have made huge, huge batches- that kept me frying on 3 frying pans for hours. This is a mistake. You are better off making small quantites and doing it a few times, rather than doing it all in one shot. Trust me. Large batches end up burning, and the mess is just too much to handle.

4 large russet potatoes, peeled
4 small-medium yellow onions
3/4 cup matzo meal (this is the real deal, old school)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons rice bran oil or canola oil (I use rice bran oil for frying, it's a healthier alternative and makes no difference in taste)

Grate the potatoes and onions in a food processor or on a box grater. You can do them seperately or at the same time. Now, you will need to squeeze out the extra liquid from the potatoes and onions. I find that the best way to do this is by wringing them out in a towel to get as much of the liquid out as possible. Take an old, but clean towel, and place about 3 cups of your gratings into it, and wrap the towel around it. Wring them out and then place into a large bowl, do this with all of your gratings. 
In a seperate bowl, crack 3 of the eggs, and beat with a fork. Stir the matzo meal into the beaten egg. Pour the gratings into the egg bowl, and use your hands to smush it all together. The mixture should be sticky and wet, but not too wet. There should not be any liquid swimming in the bottom of the bowl. If you feel that your mixture is too dry, take the remaining egg, and crack it into a small bowl, beat it with a fork. Pour a drop of that beaten egg into your potato-onion mixture. You do not need to add all of the egg, just as a much as is needed. Add the salt and pepper, and mix well.   
Prepare a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let it get hot. I like my latkes to be uniform in size, so I use a small ice cream scooper to measure out each latke. Scoop out 4 latke mounds and place on the pan, press down slightly so they are flattened a bit. Now, listen carefully:
Be patient, and do not overcrowd your pan. Resist the urge to touch, pat, move, or flip the latkes too early on. Let them cook for at least 2 minutes per side. Keep the temperature at medium-high and do not play with the temperature dial. They are better off cooking slowly that way they don't burn on the outside and undercook on the inside. Flip them once, when really golden, and cook on the other side for 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and pace on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool. Now, take a step bake and relish in your glory. Take a bite- and see why they really are worth the fuss. Happy Chanukkah and Happy Holidays to all!

Peel your potatoes & onions (I used more than 4 potatoes because mine were teeny tiny!)
 
Grate your potatoes and onions
Place your grating in a dish towel
Wrap the towel around the gratings
Wring the gratings in the towel- squeeze like crazt to get as much liquid out as possible!
 Beat your eggs in a seperate bowl
 Pour the potato and onion into the egg and matzo meal
Use your hands to combine
 For perfectly sized latkes, use a small ice cream scooper
 I fry mine in Rice Bran Oil
Heat the oil over medium-high heat
 Be patient and don't over-crowd the pan
 Fry until golden & crisp
Let cool on a paper towel line baking sheet

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Wedges with Maple Crumbs

This is a perfect and easy Thanksgiving side dish that takes little time to prepare and always gets rave reviews. I make this all winter round, and the kids love it too. It's one of those recipes you will store in your mind and make time and time again.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Wedges with Maple Crumbs 
Serves 8

3 large yams, scrubbed clean and dried, cut into wedges
5 cups brussels sprouts, rinsed and dried
3 tablespoons light tasting olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
4 tablespooons good maple syrup
1 sage leaf, fresh or dried

Preheat oven 375. Place the potatoes on a large baking sheet, and drizzle the oil over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss all together. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the topping: In a mini food processor combine the corn flake crumbs, maple syrup and sage leaf until all is combined and crumbly, like sand. Set the topping aside. After 35 minutes of cooking the potatoes, remove the baking dish from the oven and toss in the brussels sprouts. Shake the sheet a little to get everything nice and mixed up. Return to the oven, uncovered for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes has elapsed, pull the baking sheet out of the oven and sprinkle the crumbs evenly all over the top of the potatoes and brussels sprouts. Return to the oven to cook for 15 minutes longer, until the crumbs are toasty and golden.
*If you are a lover of truffle salt, and you happen to have some in your pantry, now would be a perfect time to sprinkle just a little over the top of the crumbs...*

Serve straight out of the oven, or reheat before serving. Enjoy