Recipe

Brazen Brassica Bowl

I made this every day for two weeks when I first put it together and posted the recipe on Facebook. It was exactly what my friends and I all wanted, given our after-the-holidays resolutions!

NOTES

• Roasting the vegetables deepens the flavor. A nuttiness and earthy flavor are brought forward in the process.
• The soft-cooked egg and the smoky flavor of the cumin-scented garbanzo beans provide a smooth, creamy foil for the slight bittersweetness of the sprouts and broccoli rabe. But feel free to mix and match veggies according to what is available to you—broccoli, broccolini, mustard greens, or romanesco are all suitable for this recipe as well.
• I used dinosaur kale here, but any kind of kale you have will do. Just remember to “massage” your kale for maximum enjoyment. (If you’ve never done this to kale before the technique is simple. Rip the leafy part away from the rib, discard the rib, put the leaves in a bowl, add some olive oil and a pinch of salt, then soften the leaves by kneading them for about three minutes. This helps release the natural sugars in the kale and really brightens its flavor.
• If you are not into soft-cooked egg, half an avocado makes a fine replacement.

INGREDIENTS

This recipe serves four. Adjust the listed ingredients as necessary for smaller or larger groups.

• 4 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 8 oz broccoli rabe or broccolini, cut into bite-size chunks
• 8 oz cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 8 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 head (around 8 oz.) dino kale, washed, de-ribbed and massaged
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, separated
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 4 eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat over to 450. Put a pan of water on to boil.
2. Make the dressing: combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, mustard, and vinegar, then stir until emulsified. Pour over kale and coat well.
3. In a pan, over a medium heat, sauté the sunflower and pumpkin seeds with a pinch of sea salt until toasted. Don’t look away—nuts and seed cook quickly, so it’s easy to accidentally burn them. Remove from heat and set aside. Wipe out pan.
4. Toss together broccoli rabe, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and a generous pinch of sea salt and pepper. Try to get it all around. Spread mixture on a lipped oven sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Add the roasted veggies to the kale and dressing, then toss together to dress everything in yummy mustardy goodness.
5. Once the water boils, carefully place eggs in the pan and boil them gently for 7 minutes. As the eggs cook, prepare an ice water bath. As soon as the 7 minutes are up, submerge the eggs in the ice water to stop them cooking. Then peel the eggs when they are cool enough to handle.
6. In the fry pan, warm your remaining oil over medium heat. Sprinkle cumin and a generous pinch of salt over the garbanzos, and carefully fry them for 2-3 minutes.
7. To serve your salad, split your greens 4 ways, then top with equal shares garbanzos. Halve the eggs and place 1 egg each per plate. Sprinkle seeds generously over everything.
8. Devour!