Feasting on Art

I rarely return home from the grocery store without some sort of brassica in my basket. This is the second week in a row we have enjoyed brussels sprouts roasted simply with a bit of parmesan finished with a squeeze of lemon. The cheese gives the dish a salty-meatiness and the lemon provides a balancing freshness. Excellent paired with an icy dry white wine, the dish could accompany a standard main course or stand on its own topped with a fried egg.

Edward Weston, Cabbage Leaf, 1931
gelatin silver print, 19.1 x 24.1 cm

As one of the great 20th century photographers, Edward Weston had an expansive 40 year career that established him as an innovative and influential master. Cabbage Leaf was constructed during a time when Weston had a number of solo exhibitions. He did a series of abstract images of shells exploring their curving lines and fluid shapes. The series prompted him to continue his investigation with a collection of vegetable still-life images, from which Cabbage Leaf heralded.

{Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon & Parmesan}

Yield: serves 4

500 grams brussels sprouts, trimmed & quartered
2 tablespoons butter
pinch of chili powder
freshly ground black pepper + sea salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
lemon wedge

In an oven safe dish, lay the brussels sprouts in a single layer. Chop the butter into small cubes and evenly distribute over the sprouts. Cover with a light dusting of chili powder, black pepper and sea salt and a thin carpet of Parmesan cheese.

Place in a 200C oven and roast for 25-30 minutes until the cheese has melted and the edges of the sprouts begin to brown. Remove from the oven and immediately squeeze over the fresh lemon. Serve warm.

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1 Year Ago: Claude Monet – French Toast with Garlic + Herbs

2 Years Ago: Adriaen Coorte – Pickled Asparagus

3 Years Ago: Georgia O’Keefe – Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce

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