Around this time of year, there's plenty said about brussels sprouts, the whole "love 'em or hate 'em" debate. We're on the side of love 'em, and we think there are so many ways to prepare them that dials down the stinky factor...
Roasting brussels sprouts brings out their sweetness, and they pair beautifully with nuts and bacon. But we also think of them like tiny little cabbages—they're also delicious shredded and put in pasta or salads.
We rounded up some recipes, from simple dishes to ones that surprised us and challenged us to look at this vegetable in another way.
Here you go:
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts (with Rice Krispies!), from Gourmet
- Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Gratin with Pine Nut-Breadcrumb Topping, from Bon Appétit
- Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Pistachios, from Bon Apétit
- Pancetta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Petite Brussels Sprout Pasta, from Emeril Lagasse
- Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo, from Aaron Sanchez
What's your favorite way to prepare brussels sprouts?
Related: Good Eats: Are Brussels Sprouts the New Bacon?
(Image: Flickr member ex.libris, licensed under Creative Commons)
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Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks has a wonderful recipe for caramelized tofu with shredded Brussels sprouts and toasted pecans. (She adds a bit of brown sugar and garlic and it is stupendously good!)
Toss them in a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast until they've charred in places. Consume hot or cold with or without other dishes.
Sort of like the Bon Apetit recipe above, my brother has discovered a way to cook Brussels sprouts that involves separating the leaves from the heads, sauteing them in olive oil and garlic, and then adding vinegar--the essential ingredient that counteracts the nasty bitterness. Now we all look forward to BS for supper.
Rejoice! I love 'em. I usually just roast them tossed in olive oil with whatever tasty herbs go with the rest of the night's dinner (riffing off an epicurious recipe from last year, I'd toss in some raw nuts like pistachios), but they also make a great slaw, sliced and lightly toasted in the oven and tossed with either a clear (vinegar, citrus, etc.) or creamy dressing. Those toasted nuts work well here, too!
I usually just roast them with olive oil salt and pepper, but for Thanksgiving last year I made them with white beans and pecorino - a recipe from epicurious - and people devoured them.
brussels sprouts with white beans and pecorino
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/233160
Stir-fried with curry powder, garlic and ginger. Cut the sprouts in half so the flavours get between the leaves.
I have to second the comment for Heidi @ 101 Cookbooks caramelized tofu w/ brussels sprouts. It is one of my favorite dishes.....and I'm eating it for lunch right now!!!
My other fave, more indulgent sprout recipe, is Molly of Orangette's Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts. They are knee-buckingly good. Have made avowed haters come back for seconds with that dish. :)
Cook chopped pancetta in a skillet with a bit of olive oil. Add chopped garlic and halved brussel sprouts. Toss for a minute or two. Add white wine vinegar and let it reduce.
Amazing. If your looking to up the earthy/bitter quotient, throw in some radicchio. I love it, my wife can do without the chicory.
I also love the 101 Cookbooks recipe, and I use the White Mountain Thai-seasoned baked tofu (and this is the only tofue recipe I've ever made more than once). It's so delicious with brown rice:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/caramelized-tofu-recipe.html
For a side, though, I love this recipe from David Chang, although I no longer bother with the Rice Krispies. The dressing is delicious.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ROASTED-BRUSSELS-SPROUTS-240260
Served alongside iron-pot chicken, it's such a tasty meal. I need to make it soon.
grilled! trim, cut in half, toss w/ olive oil, and grill (i use a grill pan) until charred in places. sprinkle w/ coarse salt and pepper. so good, although they can be strongly mustardy.
love them best shredded and sauteed with butter and caraway seeds!
also delish roasted with potatoes/carrots/olive oil/seasonings.
the tofu and BS recipe looks good... will have to try that!
God, I love Brussels sprouts. I kind of chiffonade them, cook a tiny bit of bacon, throw in the sprouts, do a quick stir about, a bit of salt, a squeeze of lemon...fabulous. I think I'm gonna try all of the above.
I had some this past Monday. It was my first time since I was like 9. And they were GOOD!!! I tossed them with fresh cracked pepper, salt, and olive oil then combined with cauliflower and turnips. Roasted in oven for like 40 minutes at 450 degrees. Yum!!
Chop and sautee some bacon, add garlic, add halved brussels sprouts. Cook for a while, and then stir in some stone ground or dijon mustard (enough to lightly coat all sprouts). Cook until the sugars in the mustard begin to caramelize and the sprouts begin to soften. Sprinkle some good flor de sal on top, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.
Oh, man. You HAVE to try this BS (giggle) recipe I picked up from SAVEUR.
Boil whole BS in water about 10 minutes. Drain 'em and cut each one in half the long way. Saute in 50/50 olive oil/butter mix with chopped fresh garlic on HIGH HEAT for 5 minutes. Add juice of 1/2 a lemon and a few shavings of lemon zest. Salt and pepper, saute until some CHAR starts to show up.
THEN THE PIECE DE LA RESISTANCE: Toss in a good 1/3 cup (or HANDFUL) of unseasoned panko breadcrumbs. Saute 1 more minute, then SERVE, then prepare for total self-actualization and nirvana.