This is my favorite way to enjoy Brussels sprouts – which I never even liked until about five years ago. Now I can’t seem to get enough of them. Mixed in with kale (it can be any type of kale; just experiment and you’ll land on your favorite) and this savory dressing, these Brussels sprouts will end up charming you, too.

This salad is a welcome break from lettuce and can be dressed up with all manner of goodness. Of course, there are croutons (please take the time to make homemade). You can also add grilled chicken or shrimp, a lovely, seared salmon or tuna fillet, toasted pine nuts or walnuts, roasted cherry tomatoes – you’ll find the combo you like best and add it to your monthly repertoire.

As we glide into Maine maple season, I’ll be sharing a few maple-licious recipes. Personally, maple syrup has become one of the very few sweeteners I use and it’s a favorite.

This pie is reminiscent of a custard pie my French-Canadian grandmama used to make. Whenever I eat anything with a dish of nutmeg, I think of her. Please, get a couple of real nutmegs and grate it yourself. When you taste it, you’ll see why.

Brussels sprout and kale Caesar salad

1 pound Brussels sprouts

1 pound baby kale

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 2 anchovy fillets mashed up)

1 garlic clove, grated or minced

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup grated pecorino, plus thin slices for garnish

Freshly ground black pepper

Croutons, optional

Trim the stem end of the Brussels sprouts and remove any discolored or damaged outer leaves. Cut each sprout in half from top to bottom. Shred Brussels sprouts with a sharp knife or a food processor fitted with a slicing disc. Remove stems from the kale leaves and discard. Julienne any larger leaves into bite-sized strips. Place sprouts and kale in a large bowl and set aside.

Place lemon juice, anchovy paste, garlic, red pepper flakes and kosher salt into a small bowl, whisking to combine. Whisk in olive oil until fully incorporated. Drizzle over the prepared greens, and using your hands, massage the dressing into the vegetables.

Toss in pecorino and allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes until the kale is tender. Season to taste with additional kosher salt and black pepper.

Serve with large shreds of additional pecorino cheese and croutons.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Maple cream pie with nutmeg

9-inch, unbaked pie crust

3/4 cup maple syrup

2 1/4 cups heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped cream, for garnish

Roll out, trim and crimp the pie dough and fit it in the pie tin. Place the pie tin in the freezer until firm, about 10 to 15 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Dock the frozen pie shell with a fork. Lightly coat a large square of foil with nonstick spray and press it tightly against the entire pie dough. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is pale but beginning to set.

Carefully peel off foil, pressing back any parts that have bubbled up and patching any tears with an extra scrap of dough. Return to the oven to bake for 5 to 10 more minutes until crust is golden brown and lightly crisp. Set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

In a medium saucepan – larger than you think you’ll need, because the syrup may bubble over – pour in the syrup and reduce to 1/2 cup over medium-high heat, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes.

Whisk in cream and briefly bring the mixture back to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl.

In another medium bowl, whisk together yolks and whole egg. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle cream mixture into eggs. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve back into the bowl. Stir in salt, nutmeg and vanilla.

Pour the filling into the crust and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pie is firm to the touch, but jiggles slightly when moved, about 1 hour. Let it cool to room temperature before serving with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or softly whipped cream, and a few gratings of nutmeg. This will keep in the fridge for up to five days.

Yield: 8 servings

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