Over at Serious Eats, they've declared Brussels sprouts the "ingredient of the year." We'll go one past that and call them the FOOD of the year! We could eat them right now with just about anything.
Of course, this is seasonally driven, and the sweet, tightly furled little cabbages will be gone as soon as spring gets close. So maybe food of the year is a bit of a stretch. There will be something else in the spring, and something else yet again in the summer.
But for now, we're eating Brussels sprouts three times a week! Their sweet, mildly cabbage-y flavor and tender innards are what we crave. It doesn't hurt, though, that we keep finding terribly decadent recipes for them. We've made Orangette's adaptation of cream-braised Brussels sprouts at least three times now and even added bacon. (It's not indulgent if they're a vegetable...right?) Here's the recipe for that particular form of deliciousness:
• Cream-Braised Brussels Sprouts at Orangette. A little soft, a little sweet, a little tart, and lots of caramelized and browned cream sauce.
We also have been tearing apart the Brussels sprouts and cooking their leaves for quicker warm salads. (Brussels sprouts leaves with pancetta and balsamic vinegar! Yum.) And then this week we hashed them up and tossed them with hazelnuts, lemon, and olive oil for a quick hot slaw. (Look for a recipe for that one tomorrow.)
Are you Brussels sprouts-mad like us this time of year? We can't get enough of them. What do you like to eat them with?
Related: Five Ways to Eat: Brussels Sprouts
(Images: Flickr member mkosut licensed for use under Creative Commons; Faith Durand)
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I wish I could eat some brussel sprouts, but I pretty much the only person I know that likes them!
one of my favorites is brussels sprouts roasted til crispy with butternut squash - delicious flavor and texture contrasts! yum. this is also fabulous over pasta with goat cheese.
OMG, Merm...that sounds fabulous! I may have to pick up some sprouts for my solo hot lunches!
@ssmith, so buy some and make them for yourself! I roast them in a 400 degree oven with salt, pepper and olive oil and then eat them (hot or cold) like popcorn when I'm watching a movie or something. But if you're really feeling decedant, try the cream braised ones and get the haters to try them. My Dad and Grandpa both "hate" Brussel sprouts and still took seconds when my sis made them for Christmas last year. Dad even requested them again this year!
I prepared some last night by separating the leaves and steaming/sauteeing them in a skillet, covered, with a little water, salt and olive oil. When the water evaporated I took the lid off and continued to saute them til desired tenderness and re-seasoned with olive oil, some citrus sea salt and chopped chili-lemon almonds from Trader Joe's.
Blanched til tender, tossed with lemon zest and juice, basil or thyme (or whatever herb you love the most), and a clove of garlic cut in half. Toss with warm buttery pasta and you have a dinner staple in my house.
I tried them in 2009 (fresh, sauteed in olive oil and sprinkled with parmesan) and really wanted to like them, but they were SO bitter! I also tried a sample of Trader Joe's brussels sprouts au gratin and while those were better, I would not want to eat an entire serving. Is it just me??
I cut them in half, toss with olive oil, s&p, and whole cloves of garlic (leave the skin on and just smash a bit) and roast cut side down at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tender and tasty. Love...
For the fearful, sautee a few slices of diced bacon until crispy, remove and set aside. Cut brussels in half, sautee in the bacon grease until nice and browned, then add a little broth or water. Cover to steam for a few min, then remove the lid and cook off the liquid. Add the bacon back in, toss and enjoy! Most people love bacon, so it can help turn many a brussel sprout hater into a major fan!
Smitten Kitchen has an incredible recipe for braised brussels sprouts.
http://smittenkitchen.com/category/vegetable/brussels-sprouts/
I just made the most amazing brussels sprouts from Bon Appetit - Brussels Sprouts with White Beans and Pecorino: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brussels-Sprouts-with-White-Beans-and-Pecorino-233160
It would be even more delectable with some good bacon (but then again, what isn't?).
Speaking of which, this is my second-favorite recipe (from NY Times) - Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and Figs:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/dining/281mrex.html
Michael Symon opened a new place nearby that has INSANE fried brussels sprouts. They're sort of chopped up (hashed, coarsely maybe?) and not deep fried, but are definitely mostly crispy. Seasoned with... something... oh I don't know. The server wouldn't give me the recipe.
Thinking of writing to Bon Appetit magazine, maybe they'll wrangle the recipe out of their clutches in that section of the magazine...
@capricornpig:
we did the same thing last night!! Yummy! We *heart* the brussel sprouts here :)
I just roasted brussel sprouts for an evening snack ... for the second night in a row! They were my most-hated vegetable as a child, but I found that roasting cures most all vegetable fears. Yum.
I think roasting Brussels sprouts is definitely the way to go. For a fun twist, try roasting them with balsamic vinegar and then topping with Gorgonzola when you are ready to serve/eat [recipe here]
How much do I love Brussels sprouts! Halved and roasted until deeply browned and crisp-tender. Toss with some slivered garlic that has been toasted in a bit of olive oil until barely golden. Salt, squeeze of lemon and voila- I'm a very happy girl...
Every time the subject comes up, I post this link...
http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/sauteed-brussels-sprouts-3482
Amazing. First made it as a Thanksgiving side dish. Also incredible with roast pork or beef.
And (although I know mentioning restaurants here is pretty much verboten) for those in NYC, PJ Clarke's usually has some sort of Brussels Sprouts side on the menu
Via Simply Recipes: Golden Beets and Brussels Sprouts
* 2-3 golden beets (red beets will turn the rest of the ingredients bright red)
* 10 Brussels Sprouts
* 1 shallot, peeled and diced
* Olive Oil
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dry)
* 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
* Salt and pepper to taste
The beets take the longest to cook so start them first. Either boil them in water in a small saucepan for 45 minutes, or roast them in the oven at 350°F for an hour fifteen minutes. Roasting will give you better flavor, but takes longer and uses a lot more energy (unless you are already cooking something in the oven). When done, set aside to cool for 10 minutes, peel and chop into 1 x 1/2 inch chunks.
While beets are cooking you may want to toast your almond slivers if you are starting with raw almonds. Just heat a skillet to medium high heat and put in the almonds. Stir frequently with a spatula. When the almonds begin to brown, remove from pan into a small bowl. Let cool, set aside.
Remove any outer leaves that look a bit ragged from the brussels sprouts. Bring a small saucepan half filled with water to a boil and parboil the brussels sprouts for 2-3 minutes. They should be almost all the way cooked through. (Test by cutting one in half.) Set aside for 5 minutes to cool, cut off any protruding tough stem on each sprout and cut each sprout in half.
In a medium sized skillet heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add the shallot slices and cook until translucent, a few minutes. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and raise the heat to medium high. Add the sprouts and beets to the pan, along with the thyme and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute more, stirring. Remove from heat and serve. Can serve warm or at room temperature.
We had some with tonight's bone-in chicken breasts. My default method is cut in half and roasted in a 425 degree oven with some cut up pears and shallots with a sprinkling of thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper. Even our 2 yr old eats them!
Right on! I love brussels sprouts. Nice to see that I'm trendy for once!
I just made brussel sprouts! Shredded in food processor and sauteed in olive oil and garlic for about 4-5 minutes. Best brussel sprouts I ever had. Even the kids liked it.
Yum! Saving this page....
Nigella adds chestnuts and marsala and butter to hers, along with pancetta. Delicious!
Boqueria's brussels sprouts with chorizo is delectable and quick! http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/28/earlyshow/saturday/chef/main3654097.shtml
I used to beg my mom to make them for me when i was a kid. since then I have turned an number of naysayers
slice in half, parboil them in salty water; in a pan, toss in some bacon, drain some of the fat and reserve the bacon; cook with the parboiled sprouts until a little golden brown; add bacon to serving dish with sprouts.
awesome...
Just had a big bowl of brussels sprouts last week. I like to keep them simple, steamed in a pot on the stove, salt and pepper, a bit of butter when I get them in a bowl. They're so tender and tasty! And, I feel so healthy/healthful when I eat them.
But I will have to try some of the suggestions above. I had the loveliest fried (I think) sprouts at SPQR in SF and I've been wondering how they were made. I've gotten some ideas from above. Thanks!
Gotta love brussels!!