Brussels Sprouts

Speaking of Brussels sprouts (see the beef hash thread) When I went to the local Farmers Market the other day I bought two large stalks (?) of Brussels sprouts. My mother used to make them when I was younger and I don't know how she did them. My wife hated them, so they were never served in our home. So, now for the first time ever, I'm planning on cooking Brussels sprouts and serving them for Thanksgiving tomorrow. But, I am clueless. I want to keep them simple, just butter - no cheese or fancy spices. So, what's the best way to cook them? Sauteé? Roast? Boil? Steam?

I'm not a religious man, but I strongly believe this is how God meant for Brussels Sprouts to be prepared:

Balsamic-Glazed Brussels Sprouts

2 cups Brussels sprouts, cut in half lengthwise
4-8 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet, then add the sprouts, cut-side down. Add garlic, season. Cook without moving until sprouts brown nicely and develop a crust.
3. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and, using tongs, turn each sprout over carefully onto its back. Add the balsamic vinegar to deglaze, gently shaking and tossing the skillet until there is no excess vinegar in the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

I had the best brussels sprouts at my culinary vacation with Deborah Krasner this summer. I plan to prepare them tomorrow. Here is simplicity at it's finest. I must admit the double heavy, farm fresh cream helped ALOT!

Brussels Sprouts Braised in Cream

1 lb brussels sprouts
3 Tbsp sweet butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 C heavy cream
1/2 lemon

Trim the base of the sprouts and cut each in quarters. Melt the butter in a heavy dutch oven and add the sprouts, salt and pepper. Cook until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in the cream, stir and cover. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Cook over low heat until the sprouts are soft but hold together, about 30 minutes. Remove the cover, add the lemon juice and stir. cook uncovered for a few minutes to further reduce the cream to a glaze. Serve hot.

I had the best brussels sprouts at my culinary vacation with Deborah Krasner this summer. I plan to prepare them tomorrow. Here is simplicity at it's finest. I must admit the double heavy, farm fresh cream helped ALOT!

Brussels Sprouts Braised in Cream

1 lb brussels sprouts
3 Tbsp sweet butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 C heavy cream
1/2 lemon

Trim the base of the sprouts and cut each in quarters. Melt the butter in a heavy dutch oven and add the sprouts, salt and pepper. Cook until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in the cream, stir and cover. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Cook over low heat until the sprouts are soft but hold together, about 30 minutes. Remove the cover, add the lemon juice and stir. cook uncovered for a few minutes to further reduce the cream to a glaze. Serve hot.

Yup, Jo Ann has it nailed! Except, rather than serving hot, let the parrot heads rest 10 minutes before dumping them in the garbage disposal.

'Winger

There was a very funny Roz Chast cartoon that showed the progression of brussel sprouts from Prehistoric times through to today. They used to be as big as dinosaurs, and, slowly, over the years, they are shrinking and shrinking... soon to vanish entirely!

We hope.

Yesterday at our farmers market, I bought sprout tops, the greens that grow at the end of the Brussels sprout stalk. Next time you see your farmer, ask if they can sell you the tops.

I simply blanch the leaves in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes, then refresh in a bowl of cold water. After draining and squeezing out some excess liquid, I saute in foie gras fat drippings and a little more salt. That's all. Too bad the sprouts are not as good as the tops.

What is wrong with all you people? I adore Brussels sprouts. We stir-fry ours in garlic and oyster sauce.

Some people have a "bitter" gene that makes brussel sprouts taste bitter over the top.

larry, i have the bitter gene; but still like brussel sprouts sometimes - esp. softened by the onion and bacon drippings mentioned in my hash post. now that you mention it, i could also see carmelizing some brown sugar or maple syrup in butter and then tossing with the cooked halves of the sprouts before serving. haven't tried it but it sounds as if it should work.

In general, my wife and I don't like brussel sprouts for that reason, but I always try them. A catered dinner once from a vegetarian restaurant had brussel sprouts that I actually liked--surprise.

Thanks everyone! I decided to do Jo Ann's recipe. However I will try Dale's version the next time I make them. They both sound good. I'll report back.

I know this is late but I have to tell you this simple but great recipe for an appetizer. Put Sprouts in a ziplock with a little Olive oil and coat them well. Spread them out on a baking pan and bake at 325 degrees for 20 or 25 minutes or until the outside is nicely browned (or even burned a little). Serve on toothpicks. Big Sprouts may need to be cut in half. Even folks who hate Brussels Sprouts like them when cooked like this!

Brussels Sprouts.jpg

Good luck, Howie

I could eat that for breakfast...great picture. I often eat leftover veggies for breakfast, especially a savory dish. Today I took a look at my garden and by Brussels Sprouts are sprouting. Little balls of green growing all along the stalks of the six plants I have. I have one broccoli plant giving me the start of a broccoli crown. It is very fun for me as I have never grown these two veggies before and the amount of bugs to battle almost did me in. U decided to let nature take it's course and I think the plants are winning.

I have been cooking Brussels sprouts quite often recently.

But cleaning them individually seems like a lot of hard work and I create a lot of waste.

Maybe I am doing something wrong.

I have a gene that makes most cruciform vegetables (e.g., the cabbages) smell like sulfur. I really only eat cabbages that don't taste much like cabbage (e.g., some slaws, some kim chi, and, strangely, broccoli).

But brussel sprouts are typically wa-a-a-a-ay outside the safe zone.

Made a dish for tonight's T-day supper that involved cauliflower, carrots, and brussels sprouts roasted, tossed with ginger, toasted pecans, and maple syrup, and then roasted some more.

It was great.

Thanks Jo Ann. They came out excellent. Mine didn't look like yours, but I think it's because the Brussels sprouts I bought were very small. The ones that were less than 1 inch in diameter I left whole and the ones larger than that I only halved. I think the largest ones were about 2 inches. I also made a sausage and mushroom stuffing (cooked outside the turkey). Another hit for the dinner was "Smoky Pumpkin Soup". I found that recipe in the FLDG archives.

Smoky Pumpkin Soup (6 portions)

6 slices bacon, diced, cooked crisp, fat reserved
4 tbsp. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
6 cups peeled cut-up pumpkin (1-inch pieces)
6 cups beef stock
1/2 cup Marsala
1 tsp dried thyme
s & p
toasted pumpkin seeds (garnish)

1. Heat the bacon fat and butter in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin and sauté for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Pour in the stock and simmer covered until the pumpkin is very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Add the Marsala, thyme, and s & p to taste. Process the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to the stock pot.
4. Add the bacon. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with pumpkin seeds.
Notes:
This is from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, Rosso and Lukins.
The recipe works well with canned pumpkin.

[Jenise]

Made a dish for tonight's T-day supper that involved cauliflower, carrots, and brussels sprouts roasted, tossed with ginger, toasted pecans, and maple syrup, and then roasted some more.

It was great.

YUM! Speaking of maple syrup, my Thanksgiving friend Susan B. made the best sweet potatoes (the white ones) I've ever had--I believe they were steamed or boiled first, or possibly even baked, then finished in a sauce made of just browned butter and maple syrup. Really good!

I found that recipe in the FLDG archives.

Smoky Pumpkin Soup (6 portions)

Howie, I'm glad you liked it. That was one of my posts. I make that soup every T'Giving.

Thanks for the original post Jeff. My only variation was to add 1 large, chopped Spanish onion to a double batch of the recipe. Somehow, to me anyway, soup without onions doesn't seem right. I froze the leftovers.

[Robin Garr]

I prepped 30 pounds of brussels sprouts last Tuesday, stemming them and discarding bad leaves and splitting them. Does that count for anything?

I prepped 30 pounds of brussels sprouts last Tuesday, stemming them and discarding bad leaves and splitting them. Does that count for anything?

Wow - you must have been really hungry!

And Robin's a very bitter man.