Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts.jpg

Good luck, Howie

Jo Anne,

I made your recipe for Brussels this evening. Paired it as a side dish, with my beef hash and it was WONDERFUL. Best damn brussels I have ever had. I did make one small variation though, I crumbled some bacon in the pot just before I took the lid off.

NOTE: This note for the benefit of Pauman...the pot in question is a 5qt cast iron dutch oven. it "ain't something that grows in the field behind the barn.

...I crumbled some bacon in the pot just before I took the lid off.

Bob,
Is that legal in Kentucky?
'Winger

Can't wait to try Jo Ann's recipe. I'm wondering why these are not offered at our local Farmer's Market. Two years ago everyone went crazy over a particular grower who offered broccoli for the first time. This year two of the Asian growers offered a different type of broccoli and have done very well with it. My sprouts are getting bigger, I take a look at them every few days. The trouble is that I have six plants, all the same size and producing a bunch on every stalk.

...I crumbled some bacon in the pot just before I took the lid off.

Bob,
Is that legal in Kentucky?
'Winger

Winger it is legal if both the pot and the bacon were grown in the Daniel Boone national forest.

Whoa! Never thought about crumbling bacon in there. (Other things, maybe....)

Bob - How do you put the crumbled bacon in before removing the lid?

Bob - How do you put the crumbled bacon in before removing the lid?

Howie-
Anything is possible with bacon in your pot.
(Not that I'd know anything about that)

Hi

Howie-
Anything is possible with bacon in your pot.

Surely that's only true if it's smoked?

Had a brussels sprout pizza the other week at this place: http://www.motorinopizza.com. It was quite good and is something I may replicate at home.

>ack<

>ack<

You don't like pizza?

The leaves of the sprouts were on top of the pizza, like herbs. Only with a dark roasted flavor. Hard not to like.

>ack<

Larry, if you are saying <ack> regarding the Brussells, I strongly urge you to try Jo Anne's recipe. You will never say that again I assure you. I am not a fan of brussells cooked the old way (whole and boiled) but I went back the next day and got 3 bags of the critters. Major YUM!

No to brussel sprouts on pizza >ack<. But I always try brussel sprouts. I discovered a vegetarian restaurant that made them good enough I had seconds.

No to brussel sprouts on pizza >ack<. But I always try brussel sprouts. I discovered a vegetarian restaurant that made them good enough I had seconds.

|Try Jo Anne's reco[e and add the bacon as I did. I will convert you yet!

No to brussel sprouts on pizza >ack<..

Do you not like green vegetables on pizza?

Placing a few of the brussels sprouts leaves does not leave a particularly strong taste, and none of the cabbagey texture you get when you chew them whole. Rather, it is a nice deep vegetal note. Not very offensive to anyone.

>ack<

You people are crazy!

I'm with you, Rahsaan. That pizza sounds pretty good to me.

No to brussel sprouts on pizza >ack<..

Do you not like green vegetables on pizza?

Placing a few of the brussels sprouts leaves does not leave a particularly strong taste, and none of the cabbagey texture you get when you chew them whole. Rather, it is a nice deep vegetal note. Not very offensive to anyone.

I like green chile on pizza and green bell peppers and spinach, all commonly considered green vegetables, unless you get technical and consider two of them as fruits. But if I don't like brussel sprouts in general, I fail to see how I'd like them on pizza. If it was in front of me, I'd try it though.

Jo Anne's recipe looks delicious...I have never tried them that way. My family love Brussels Sprouts, so I am lucky. But for something "special" I always shred them and quickly saute in bacon fat and butter and add the crumbled bacon on top.

Jo Ann's recipe sounds delicious, but could there be a lower-fat version of it? Seems a shame to take a nutricious no-fat, low-cal veggie like Brussels Sprouts and turn it into a coronary-on-a-plate.

Seems a shame to take a nutricious no-fat, low-cal veggie like Brussels Sprouts and turn it into a coronary-on-a-plate.

Not a chance Robert. Ever notice how most of the Sprout recipes include multiple assertive ingredients whose sole purpose is to mask the taste/texture of the Brussels Sprouts??
'Winger

Glad those of you who have tried the recipe found it as exciting as I did. Again, I must give credit where it's due. This recipe belongs to Deborah Krasner.

Jo Ann's recipe sounds delicious, but could there be a lower-fat version of it? Seems a shame to take a nutricious no-fat, low-cal veggie like Brussels Sprouts and turn it into a coronary-on-a-plate.

Where there's a will, there's a way, Robert. Here is a cooking substitution from Jeff Smith's The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine.

HInt: To make Mock Cream Sauces
Place 1 lb low-salt/low-fat cottage cheese, along with 1 cup low-fat milk, in a food blender. Blend until very smooth, like cream. You may wish to make it a bit thinner. Use in any sauce recipe that calls for cream. Do not cook it as long in a sauce as you would regular cream. This mock cream will scare you when you first add it to a hot sauce in that it will separate and look grainy. Don't worry. Simply stir over the heat for a moment and it will smooth out beautifully.

The idea about the bacon is a good one, Bob. However, that's the way I cook cabbage (with a hit of apple cider vinegar), so that would not have been such a surprise addition for my family. I'm sure it's wonderful.

Have at it, everybody. I'd love to hear all the variations.

Ever notice how most of the Sprout recipes include multiple assertive ingredients whose sole purpose is to mask the taste/texture of the Brussels Sprouts??

But those are not necessarily the best recipes. They are just part of the pathetic genre of recipes that try to make certain 'healthy' foods palatable to people who don't like them. But that's not a good approach to cooking in my opinion. (That said, I'm no big lover of brussels sprouts and prefer them roasted where they have more robust sweet flavor. But with no add ons, assuming of course you have top quality brussels sprouts, which is 99% of the battle for every ingredient).