by Megan Winfrey

How about them brussels sprouts?! That majestic bouquet on my doorstep made me feel like I'd won something - and I may or may not have held it in the crook of my arm and practiced my best "figure 8 wave." Needless to say, I used them immediately for this recipe, which I think is a perfect one to welcome the coming Spring. Bright, yet still deep and rich in flavor. Light, but still pasta. This one goes out to mister groundhog - thanks for the good report, buddy.

Golden Beet & Brussels Sprouts Fettuccini

• 3 golden beets
• 1 stem of brussels sprouts
• 1 lb. fettuccini noodles
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 4 tbs. goat cheese
• salt & pepper

I'm going to start with a little note on the prep work. I've found that with golden beets, unlike with red beets, you can easily peel them like potatoes! You can of course peel red beets, too, but suffer the blood bath. Golden beets don't stain or even transfer color, so I find it much easier to peel, chop, then bake rather than cook, cool, then peel and chop.

I'd never taken brussels sprouts off the vine before, but they popped off rather easily. The little ones at the top held on tighter, but I managed to pinch every last one off because to waste a sprout would be a crime. I then cut each one in half (but left the tiny ones whole), discarded the outer leaves, and rinsed thoroughly.

OKAY, let's cook.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Spread the chopped beets onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake 25-30 minutes until tender. While the beets bake, sauté the red onion and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the brussels sprouts, thyme, red pepper flakes, and a dash of salt. Sauté for 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan and continue cooking at a low simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the brussels sprouts are tender. Add the beets and additional salt and red pepper if desired. Prepare the pasta to al dente. Toss everything together with a drizzle of olive oil and top with crumbled goat cheese. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and enjoy as a chilled pasta salad - or both!