This is one of those recipes can be used as either a side or main dish – it’s that hearty! I used black rice cooked with miso paste to give it an earthy, umami flavor. If you don’t have miso paste, you could add a dash of soy sauce, or just stick with a bit of salt. And if you don’t have black rice, wild or purple rice would work just as well. Just make sure it’s a grain with a good bite to it – no light basmati rice for this dish!
I topped it with pomegranate seeds because they look so lovely and add a nice citrus-y flavor. The toasted pumpkin seeds add a nutty crunch that really takes this dish a step beyond the average, run-of-the-mill holiday side dish, so take a few extra minutes to cook them up!
This recipe is actually very simple to make and assemble. And with all those deep, luscious colors, it will look beautiful on your buffet table. Enjoy!
Ingredients (serves 6 – 8)
1 pound Brussels sprouts (cleaned and cut in half)
1 cup uncooked black or wild rice
2 tablespoons miso paste (or 1 tablespoon soy sauce)
2 cups water
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (toasted)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (see this post for harvesting your own, or use store-prepared seeds)
1 – 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the Brussels sprouts in a mixing bowls and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Toss with your hands to ensure even distribution of the oil.
- Place the Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet cut side down.
- Bake in the oven – middle rack – for 20 – 30 minutes until cooked and outer leaves start to brown and they are fork tender.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add the miso paste, stirring until all lumps are gone. Add in the rice, return to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and let cook for 20 – 30 minutes until fully cooked.
- Place the pumpkin seeds in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until they begin to heat up and the oil starts to release – you’ll be able to feel and smell it happening. Then reduce heat to low and continue to toast the seeds, stirring constantly to prevent burning, for about 5 minutes until they are toasted.
- To serve, spread the rice over the bottom or a serving platter or individual serving dishes. Place the Brussels sprouts on top. Then sprinkle pomegranate and toasted pumpkin seeds on top.
- Serve immediately.
[/recipe]
Leave a Reply