Brussels Sprouts. There I said it. The big, ugly, cruciferous vegetable. And one of my favourites.
The only thing that makes me more excited than the arrival of Honeycrisp apples in the fall is the arrival of those thick stalks, heavy with their tiny cabbages.
Truthfully, I'd never had a brussels sprout until I was an adult. What my mom didn't like, we didn't eat. Not so for my girls. They don't start salivating at the sight of green, but they will eat a nicely roasted sprout topped with hazelnuts. And what they don't eat Hubby and I will gladly devour.
With Thanksgiving coming I have a proliferation of CSA veggies to use for dinner. I won't be shopping for any specific dish, just using what my farmer has so carefully grown for us. So I'll pick up my turkey at the market, maybe grabbing some sausage for stuffing. But I cannot, will not, forego my brussels sprouts at dinner.
Our favourite way to cook the sprouts is roasted. Simply cut them off the stalk, trim any errant leaves, and toss with a bit of olive oil. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size. When they are done drizzle with a bit of good balsamic and sprinkle on some toasted hazelnuts or pecans. Even better when you throw some pancetta in the mix.
Here are some other good brussels sprouts recipes to share. Some I've made, others I just want to get to, maybe this weekend?
Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts (oh wow! these are good)
And speaking of Thanksgiving, I had two other posts this week talking about my favourite holiday. One on survival tips for the big dinner, and another on the second most important side dish (after brussels sprouts, of course), mashed potatoes. Seriously, it is my absolute favourite. What's your favourite holiday?
4 comments:
A few weeks ago, I found the best recipe for brussel sprouts AND fish. Do a classic sole meunière (or use haddock). Then, put sliced, yes sliced!, brussel sprouts with a finely sliced shallots. Pour over vegetable broth, season and let simmer until the brussel sprouts are tender. Serve on top of the fish with a bit of the broth.
i love brussels sprouts and need to make them more... love these!
do you know i spent 4 yrs on Belgium..outside Brussels..never ate them until college!
Do you watch the Big Bang Theory? In a quest for health, Sheldon decided to observe Cruciferous Thursday. In honour of this, he ate a great big bowl of Brussels sprouts....
Yup. You know where this is going. And his abdominal pain was not appendicitis.
Not a huge fan of this vegetable, although I'm learning.
I usually just steam brussel sprouts. I trim the ends and cut an "X" in the stem. This way they don't seem to get bitter.
Oh, and in talking to a friend yesterday about school lunches and kids, she remarked about how her son would eat anything. The cook at his school served brussel sprouts and the kids loved them.
Really, who wouldn't love eating "Little Green Heads"?! :D
Brillant strategy on the cook's part!
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