🧑‍🍳 TREE 300: Think outside the veg box

One.

Katerina Pavlakis, The Intuitive Cook

Making things easier, better, or just more your own doesn't have to be complicated or difficult. Sometimes the solution is right under our nose, but we can't see it until we change perspective.

Like many, I used to be a Brussels sprout hater. Steamed Brussels weren’t something I would eat voluntarily, any time of the year. But then my veg box subscription forced me to go looking for ways to learn to like them. I went into research mode (i.e. having fun browsing through my favourite cookbooks) and learned that Brussels sprouts hate water and love fat, spices, and a bit of acidity to balance their bitterness.

I have since tried them roasted with butter, cumin and harissa, sautéed with bacon, honey and balsamic, and stir-fried with miso, ginger and lemon zest. Guess what? No more sprout hating in my house! The trick is to avoid water, and be generous with strong flavours.

So whether your challenge is about making the bird roast easier, coming up with a vegetarian centrepiece or a festive meal for two, or rustling up an easy side or one-of-a-kind salad, I suggest you have fun with the research and never dismiss the unusual solutions.

I'm not a recipe writer, and I won't turn into one for this occasion, but I have put together a collection of my favourite resources and ideas for an out-of-the-ordinary Christmas feast. Enjoy!

Two.

A final collage of festive joy by Phoebe Weston. If you haven’t followed Phoebe on Instagram yet, do it now.

Three.

This week Katerina has given us songs from Greece, Brazil, Indonesia and finally Argentina.

Katerina and Phoebe, thank you so much for sharing with us this week! It’s been an explosion of beauty and inspiration.

Be ready for TREE 301 to slide into your inbox at 5 AM on Monday. I’m making the biggest, best TREE announcement ever.

Something for the weekend

The Intuitive Cook’s Christmas Treasures. Katerina linked to it above. I’m linking to it again. There is so much good stuff here! I already have plans to make the ‘different take on nut roast’.

Happy cooking!
Jeff