Times of need call for resourcefulness and creativity, and it is out of that need that bubble and squeak was born. Bubble and squeak became popular during the Second World War when rationing was in effect throughout Britain and the need to stretch every morsel of food was a necessity. Taking whatever was left after a roast and frying into a cake (or sometimes hash) made those leftovers into an entirely new meal without wasting anything from the previous dinner. More

If you're a sprouts fan too, you love them roasted, sautéed, and shredded. But pickled? I've made many batches with garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and mustard seeds. They're wonderfully zingy. More

I've eaten my fair share of Brussels sprouts, but have never had them quite like this. Mixed with marinated tofu and drenched in a sweet and spicy sauce, this recipe from Plenty (one of our 10 favorite cookbooks of 2011) could have been a sticky mess. I mean, where else have you seen sweet chile sauce mixed with maple syrup? Instead, it's an addictive vegetarian meal that I can't wait to make again. More

Coming from a family of Brussels sprouts fiends, I've had to develop quite a repertoire of recipes over the years and over the holidays in order to keep things interesting. The vast majority of them—a good 94% (I've counted)—share one crucial step: searing. The goal is to cook them fast, and cook them hard so they char and caramelize, their leaves turning crispy, brown, and nutty. More

After they're done charred in the bacon fat, I season them with plenty of salt and pepper (I don't like to do it before because I find the salt from the bacon fat penetrates the sprouts as they cook, making it hard to judge salt level), then toss them back together with the crisp bacon. If you're feeling extra plucky, you can go for a full half-and-half bacon-to-sprout ratio. Trust me, you'll be popping them like scrumdiddlyumptious bars. More

I flat out love brussels sprouts. They are easily the most favorite of my favorite vegetables. When properly seared and caramelized they turn sweet and nutty like nothing else. Of course, if you overcook them or allow them to steam in their own liquid, they turn funky and unpleasant like nothing else, or at least like nothing fit to be eaten. Properly cooking them requires two things: high heat, and proper preparation. Today we're gonna focus on the latter. More

'Tis the season to start daydreaming about Thanksgiving, and for me, that means picking out new, interesting side dishes to serve along with a classic roast turkey. Have you started poking around for recipes yet? Here are a few tempting brussels sprouts ideas to put on your list. More

Beet fries. That's all Robyn and I needed to hear to get us to East Side King when in Austin recently. The food cart, covered in a brightly-painted cyclops design, is nestled in the backyard of an East Austin dive bar, The Liberty. It's yet another mobile food business launched by restaurant chefs: in this case sous chef Paul Qui and sushi chefs Moto Utsonomaya and Ek Timrek from Austin's much raved-about contemporary Japanese restaurant Uchi. It opens nightly from 7 p.m. to 1:45 a.m. and a good chunk of the menu involves the word "fried." Like those beets. More

[Photo © Sarah Shatz/Food52] The ingredient of the year? Brussels sprouts. Moms everywhere are going to be in shock about this pronouncement, but the evidence is overwhelming. Brussels sprouts are being served morning, noon, and night, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every time in between. And why not? They can be nutty, crispy, and tender all at the same time. How many foods can you say that about? Consider the following:... More

[Flickr: Barbara L. Hansen] My long-term relationship with brussels sprouts has, like so many, had its ups and downs. I remember my mother pulling the glistening round gems out of the oven before dinner, when I would instinctively begin performing my most theatrical "I am a kid so I am not supposed to like these at all" routine. Secretly, though, my mouth was watering and I could hardly wait to sink my teeth into a buttery, tender sprout. Today, I have dropped the dramatics and proudly label myself as an avid brussels sprouts fan. Approaching the peak season of this delicious vegetable, it is time to eat brussels sprouts as often (and with as much pride!) as possible. Some... More