Tasty Brussels Sprouts

I am not a fan of these miniature cabbages, but I found this recipe that transforms them into a really tasty veg!

Teriyaki-Style Brussels Sprouts – 6-8

2 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, smashed
¼ cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp. (packed) dark brown sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°. Toss 2 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl; sprinkle with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and season with freshly ground pepper. Spread out brussels sprouts in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast, tossing halfway through, until deeply browned and tender, 30–40 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 3 garlic cloves, smashed, ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 Tbsp. (packed) dark brown sugar, and ¼ cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved and small bubbles form around the edges of pan, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Whisk 2 tsp. cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl, then slowly whisk slurry into sauce. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens further (spoon should leave a trail when dragged through), about 1 minute. Add 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter and stir until incorporated and sauce is syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar; fish out garlic and discard.
Transfer brussels sprouts to a clean large bowl. Drizzle ¼ cup sauce over and toss to coat. Transfer to a platter. Serve remaining sauce alongside.

Worked beautifully with a Riesling, the slightly sweet and salt complementing the slight sweetness of the crisp Riesling.

I love Brussels Sprouts and eat them often. Roasted, steamed, or stir-fry. I love them with a vinegar soy-based sauce. Your recipe sounds delicious. I also love Broccoli, which must be steamed and eaten with the Sierra Nevada Spicy Brown Mustard.

My wife is a fan of the cruciferous vegetables while I am somewhat selective. I like broccoli (which can at worst be a tad boring), cauliflower and bok choy, which we often eat, usually in a stir fry which adds flavour. This recipe absolutely transforms the sprouts into something I want more of with the first bite, something I thought I'd never experience. The added interplay of sweet and acid is magic. If anyone is indifferent to some of this family, I recommend that they give this a try - it is going into my repeat recipe pile!

Back when I was growing up in the 60s, my mother was an old-school American cook when it came to vegetables.* She cooked the life out of them. I absolutely detested the texture, odor, and flavor of overcooked veggies. For me the worst was the Brassicas--cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and the like. The absolute worst was Brussels sprouts, which to my way of thinking took all of the obnoxious characteristics of an entire head of cabbage and concentrated them into something just large enough that you had to bite into it at least once before swallowing it.

When I started cooking for myself I discovered that most of the vegetables I detested as a child were palatable and actually good if you don't overcook them. I've even enjoyed Brussels sprouts, although they aren't on my list of things I choose to cook.

-Paul W.

* Witness my description of traditionally-prepared New England Boiled Dinner: Take brisket, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage and stew them in a pot until you can't tell which is which.

Another who didn't think I liked B sprouts till I was adult, now we have often. Most common is searing till quite brown (halves cut side down) in a cast iron pan, then roasting, finishing with either balsamic or kimchi. But lots of ways work for me.

Yes, roasting is generally a more delicious way of cooking than boiling. For most things!

Yes, roasting is generally a more delicious way of cooking than boiling. For most things!

I think Jonathan Swift agreed with this, too.

Yes, roasting is generally a more delicious way of cooking than boiling. For most things!

I think Jonathan Swift agreed with this, too.

Here is a Swiftie for you (from A Modest Proposal):

I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust

We like Brussels Sprouts.

But don't like 'em when served in restaurants because they cook the whole sprout - they keep the loose outer leaves which are the sulphuric ones.

So, when I buy them I get the smallest ones I can.

I cut off the base and take off all the outer leaves till no more will come off.

Now I'm left with a tight small ball of pale coloured leaves.

Steam for 20 minutes so they are cooked but al dente.


At this time of year there are a lot of recipes for sprouts that promise that 'even sprout haters will like these'. Why bother? There's no law saying one has to have sprouts. If you don't like them, don't have them.

But if your memory of sprouts is decade old, you might be surprised now as they've bred new varieties that are sweeter and don't have the foul tastes of the past

From the start, I thought the title of this topic was rather oxymoronic. But once I did have some good ones catered from a vegetarian restaurant.

We had sprouts this week, and I took a photo of a sprout before and after I trimmed of leaves. There's a USA 25 cent coin next to the sprout for judging the size.

This came from a bag bought by Mrs M that said it was 'prepped ready for cooking'.

Sprout-before-small.jpg

Sprout-after-small.jpg

[Jenise]

Peter, I'm chagrined by the amount of sprout material you toss out! I love the darker outer leaves and remove only what's discolored or damaged.

It's all a matter of taste.

I suspect that many who say they don't like sprouts were put off by the strong tasting outer leaves.

I like the subtle taste of the tight central leaves.

[Jenise]

I never even considered that difference, Peter. Rather, I've supposed that the haters had mostly had them poorly prepared or were, like Bill, not really a vegetable fan in the first place.

In my case I grew up a sprout hater because I only ever had them woefully overcooked. In my experience overcooking brings out terrible aromas and flavors in all Brassicas.

-Paul W.

What he said. I am famously averse to brassica yet I can deal with brussel sprouts if they are fresh (not frozen), not too big, and pan-roasted with some strong competing flavors. (I am much better about broccoli and bok choy but much worse about cauliflower and cabbage.)

In my case I grew up a sprout hater because I only ever had them woefully overcooked. In my experience overcooking brings out terrible aromas and flavors in all Brassicas.

-Paul W.

Two points here, Paul.

Again a matter of taste, but I think vegetables should be cooked al dente. I steam vegetables and they're not soggy.

The second point is that new varieties have come on the market replacing those of old; these new varieties are sweeter and don't have the rampant off flavours of the past.

But there are may different vegetables to choose from other than sprouts.

In my case I grew up a sprout hater because I only ever had them woefully overcooked. In my experience overcooking brings out terrible aromas and flavors in all Brassicas.

-Paul W.

Two points here, Paul.

Again a matter of taste, but I think vegetables should be cooked al dente. I steam vegetables and they're not soggy.

The second point is that new varieties have come on the market replacing those of old; these new varieties are sweeter and don't have the rampant off flavours of the past.

But there are may different vegetables to choose from other than sprouts.

Quite right, Peter. The newer varieties of Brussels sprouts are far less pungent than the ones that most of us grew up with. My favorite preps these days are roasting (in a convection oven) until crispness (I remove all of the loose outer leaves) and then drizzling with an aged Balsamic or shaving to put into a salad.

Sprouts will be 25% bigger this year.
says The Guardian:

In a development likely to inspire both joy and dismay around the Christmas dinner table, farmers are forecasting Brussels sprouts will be 25% bigger this year.

Good growing conditions, the introduction of new varieties, and a dose of sea air have resulted in a crop of super-sized sprouts for this festive season.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... sexier-too

This is some sort of a cross between April Fool's and Halloween, right?