i was never a big fan of chestnuts growing up—chestnuts roasting on an open fire was just not appealing in the least to me, as warm and merry as it sounded. the texture is just so different from all other nuts out there that i couldn’t really get with it. but later, when i was working with my friend (and fellow top chef contestant) dale levitski at the chicago bistro la tache, he made a version of a chestnut confit to serve with a duck dish in winter. it totally changed my opinion of the chestnut and i eventually made my own version of it to serve at scylla. to any other non-chesnut believers out there: give it a try. i think it’ll change your mind, too.
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i do not have fond memories of brussels sprouts from my childhood. not to throw my mom under the bus, but she used to serve frozen brussels sprouts that were boiled until they were as tender as baby food, then coated with margarine. i’m not sure if fresh brussels sprouts just weren’t as readily available back in the day, but nowadays they’re everywhere. the flavor of the fresh sprouts versus the frozen (or, god forbid, canned) is immensely better, enough that they even made a convert out of me. in fact, i like the flavor so much now that my preferred method of cooking brussels sprouts is simply to brown them in a bit of butter and oil, then pop them in the oven for just a couple of minutes, serving them while they still have a little crunch left. a lot of times i’ll add in another one of my earthy favorites—the sunchoke. the two vegetables complement each other nicely, and they cook at about the same rate, making the dish quite simple to make. sage brings in a nice aromatic element that adds depth without overpowering, while the pecans add a nice texture as well as a little sweet spice. and if you’re like me and just can’t get enough bacon, feel free to brown some pieces along with the butter to add a smoky element to the mix.
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still making NYE plans? we have decided to add on a special wine paired dinner in our underground goat. five course dinner with wines chosen by lawrence, our new sommelier. tickets are sold per person to a communal dining experience. all guests are then welcome to join in on the fun upstairs at our new years party (where there will be more food if you are still hungry and as much bubbles as you can handle).


WHAT: NYE wine paired dinner in underground goat, followed by after party upstairs
WHERE: underground goat, 809 w. randolph, chicago IL 60613
TIME: 7pm
TICKETS: purchase tickets here, $250 per ticket

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soubise (pronounced soo-beez) is a very classic french dish that’s sort of like an onion-heavy take on risotto.. in this version, i’ve added a bit of tomato to bring in a little acidity to help balance the natural sweetness of the onions. if tomatoes are in season, grab a nice ripe one and chop it up. if not, some canned san marzanos will do the trick (just be sure to drain off most of the liquid so the onion juice can do its job). and keep the leftovers to do what we often did at scylla—puree it to make a nice thick onion sauce to serve under fish or poultry.
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we all love roasted brussels sprouts at the holiday table but a nice shaved brussels salad can be a refreshing change and offset the other rich dishes!
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