“Brussel Sprouts are misunderstood – probably because most people don’t know how to cook them properly” Todd English
Brussel Sprouts have had a wretched reputation over the ages, but they utterly deserve some serious love. They were the veggie you totally hated when you were a kid – if it landed on your plate, it had contaminated the rest of your food!
If you fit into the latter category and you are a complete Sprout hater, try not to fault this leafy, compact veggie too much – blame it on the way your mom used to cook them because when prepared correctly, these little green goddesses will rock your world and they will soon become your favorite staple! Where they were once obscure, they have now become more in-vogue than a Calvin Klein commercial.
Today, you can bet that every hip restaurant has a delectable roasted, sautéed or salad version on their menu and after tasting them it will definitely send you into mouthwatering, orgasmic nirvana. You might hear Angels sing!
Here are a few helpful hints that will make these lovely green wonders live to their fullest potential.
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NEVER FROZEN ALWAYS FRESH – Like with any other vegetable, fresh is best. That is when they are at their sweetest. Sprouts grow in large stalks and usually will arrive at your supermarket loose, although some stores still have them available in the stalk from time to time. Make sure when you select them, they are bright green and compact to the touch. The smaller ones will be sweeter, as the larger ones tend to have a bit more of a cabbage taste and can be slightly bitter. They keep in the fridge for about a week to ten days, so you don’t have an excuse for not buying them fresh.
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BOIL OR STEAM? – If you are going to par-boil or steam them briefly, do these guys a favor and make sure you finish them off in a pan with a bit of olive oil, some butter, correct seasonings and caramelize them. Boiling them doesn’t do justice to the natural sugars that need to exploited when cooking them. This way you are also ensuring the off- putting aroma associated with boiling them isn’t going to permeate your through your home and gag your entire family.
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ROASTING HEAVEN – This is the easiest and assuredly the best way to bring out their sweetness to caramelize them! Cut off the hard stem, remove any bruised outer leaves, cut them in half and generously coat them in olive oil, salt and pepper, toss them onto a cookie sheet in a 400F degree oven for about 25 minutes. You can finish them with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and some fresh basil if you like. Eat them this way and your name will be removed from the annals of Brussel Sprout Hater History permanently.
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LIVING THE SAUTEED DREAM – Roasting is a phenomenal way to cook these, but seriously guys, they are even more inspired sautéed. The trick is not to overcrowd the pan, otherwise they will steam and that is what we are trying to avoid. You want them to brown and caramelize to golden perfection!
In addition to being a taste sensation, Brussel sprouts have tremendous nutritional value – they are a huge source of Vitamin C and K, B6, B1, Manganese, Potassium, and YES – omega-3 fatty acids.
So, I hope that you ditch any preconceived ideas dating back to caveman era, where you may have thought Brussel Sprouts disagreeable. If you are not adventurous enough to cook them yourself, give them a try at any good restaurant. Go on, what do you have to lose other than them becoming your new favorite veg?
CARAMELIZED BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD
1 LB of Brussels Sprouts – pull the leaves from the sprouts
1 Asian pear – peeled, cored and sliced into thin slices
4 slices of bacon – thick cut – chopped (Vegetarians can omit this and use Olive Oil)
3 large shallots – sliced very thin – leave about ½ raw for the salad
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 TBSP of brown sugar
1/2 of Edamame
1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
½ cup of pomegranate seeds or sweet dried cranberries
¼ cup of pine nuts or walnuts – toasted
Crumbled Feta cheese
Fresh chopped Italian parsley and basil
In a pan with high sides, add the bacon and cook till done to crispy consistency. Set aside on paper towels – keep all but 1 TBSP of the bacon fat and add a small amount of Olive Oil. Sauté the shallot and garlic for about 5 minutes, incorporating the sugar, balsamic vinegar and season well with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Allow them to caramelize undisturbed for about 5/7 minutes in the pan. You want them a still crunchy and not mushy.
In a decorative bowl place the pulled leaves from the sprouts along with the Asian pear. Add the bacon, sautéed shallots with garlic, pomegranate seeds, raw shallot, edamame, walnuts, parsley and chopped basil. Make a simple vinaigrette whisking EVOO, white balsamic vinegar, 1 TBSP of dijon mustard, 1/2 TSP of honey, salt and fresh cracked pepper. Toss ingredients well and sprinkle the feta cheese on top prior to serving.
SAUTÉED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH APPLES AND BACON
2 LBS of Brussels Sprouts – trimmed and halved
2 large unpeeled apples – cored and medium diced
8 slices of cured Bacon – cut and cooked
2 TBSP Balsamic glaze
1 TBSP of EVOO
4 TBSP of Maple syrup
1/4 cup of low sodium chicken stock
3 Sprigs of fresh Thyme or Rosemary sprig
Kosher salt and Fresh ground pepper
In an cast iron skillet, add 1 TBSP of olive oil and sauté bacon for a few minuets. Add the sprouts, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Drizzle the balsamic glaze, add the apples, the herbs and maple syrup. Toss well and allow to caramelize, add the chicken stock and cook half covered for about 15 minutes. You want the sprouts not to be mushy and the apple to still have some crunch.
ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS
1 LB of Brussel Sprouts – halved and outer bruised leaves removed
3 TBSP of Olive oil
Fresh Rosemary sprigs
1 TBSP of Balsamic Vinegar
1 TBSP of Maple syrup or honey
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
PREHEAT OVEN TO 425F
In a small bowl, add the maple syrup, olive oil, Balsamic, salt and pepper and whisk till blended. In a large bowl, add the cut sprouts and mix well with the vinaigrette. Invert into a foil lined cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes, turning halfway through the roasting, to ensure even browning adding the fresh rosemary last.
