Brussels sprouts: scary or tasty?
I've never tasted Brussels sprouts, but I want to try making them. I've gathered that you either love them or hate them. What do you think? What do they taste like? Any good introductory recipes? Preferably simple and vegetarian.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
24 Comments:
Closest I can describe b-sprouts is kinda cabbage like. But different (that's not helpful, is it?). I have heard some people describe it as slightly nutty, but I don't see that one personally. Maybe it's in how I've had them prepared. They're not bad tasting - I just think they suffer from years of bad PR.
Most recipes call for roasting them, and there's no shortage of recipes there - Epicurious has a nice selection and a few are veg-friendly or veg-adaptable.
Post-edit: B-Sprouts? Oh man, did I just try to make brussel sprouts hip? It must be Monday.
corycm at 1:30PM on 10/29/07
My husband's favorite vegetable is brussel sprouts. Most ot the time I roast them with olive oil,salt and pepper, at 375 for 35-45 minutes. They actually get crispy on the outside. I've also made them in a saute pan, cut in a chiffonade style, with butter, olive oil, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. They can even be made in the microwave, steamed, add butter, salt and lemon juice. Some recipes tell you to mix in bacon or pancetta. So, as you see they are versatile and can be made to your taste.
Mich23 at 1:59PM on 10/29/07
Well, they are a little too cabbage-like for my tastes; however, they really aren't as scary as I originally thought. I was inspired to try them after this post from one of my favorite food blogs: http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2006/12/the_mean_green_.html
The writer then tried again a few months later, with even better results: http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2006/12/return_of_the_b.html
(Sorry I can't figure out how to make hyperlinks).
July at 2:01PM on 10/29/07
I love Brussels sprouts! Here's what I do, and even avowed sprouts haters have enjoyed it:
Shred the sprouts. In a skillet, cook up a package of uncured turkey bacon (HAS to be uncured, tastes so much better and is much healthier) until crisp. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Add shredded sprouts to same skillet and season with lots of pepper and a little salt. Add fresh lemon juice. Cook, stirring, just until the sprouts are beginning to wilt, but are still bright green. Crumble the bacon and toss it in. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper and lemon as needed. Drizzle with a little bit of melted butter and serve. Yum!
CookiePie at 2:22PM on 10/29/07
I only started eating B-sprouts about a year ago, and still make them that way when I want 'virgins' to try them--the answer is roasted, imo. As Mich23 said, it's very basic--olive oil, salt and pepper are all you need. I guarantee that 20 mins after you put them in a 400 degree oven, mouths will start to water! I equate the smell to popcorn, and truthfully, I can eat roasted brussels sprouts with the same abandon.
Buy yourself a package (or better yet, the 'on-a-stick' version--way more fun), clean off any wilted leaves, slice the large ones (golf ball sized or larger) in half, toss in olive oil, add s&p, and you're good to go. Start watching them at 20 mins, make sure they're caramelized, and take 'em out before they blacken too much. VERY good eats!
Curlz at 2:40PM on 10/29/07
I absolutely love Brussels sprouts... definitely my favorite fall vegetable.
My favorite is to roast, as mentioned above, either alone or with root vegetables, especially carrot or sweet potatoes. Drizzle with a little olive oil, thyme, rosemary salt and pepper. The parts are the ones that get nice and brown and crispy. You can also add pancetta or bacon in with them. So So good.
Alm25 at 2:53PM on 10/29/07
Definitely tasty, not scary. Basically, if you're okay with cabbage or broccoli or the like, you'll be fine with Brussels sprouts, which are milder (flavor reminds me more of kale).
I agree with roasting as the best prep. My technique is to find the smallest, densest ones available (sweeter flavor). I wash 'em, trim the stem, peel any wilted, bruised and/or discolored outer leaves, toss 'em with olive oil, a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice, some kosher salt and coarse ground pepper. Garlic's good, too, if you feel like it. At this point, you can leave them to stand for a good long while if need be. Then, I thread them onto skewers and roast 'em on the grill until they begin to char (low heat, closed lid, turn frequently). Only one problem with this technique -- I never seem to have enough for everyone!
BTW, the frozen ones are not even remotely close to fresh, so don't bother unless you like them very cooked, or you plan to throw 'em into a long-cooked dish (soup, gratin, etc.). Most people I've known who thought they didn't like brussels sprouts found out they'd always eaten them overcooked. Try doing 'em tender-crisp.
LoCo at 2:58PM on 10/29/07
looove brussels sprouts. was at the union sq farmers market on saturday hoping to buy some on the stick but i guess it's a little too early for that because the ones i saw were pretty scrawny looking. guess i'll have to wait a little bit longer!
i know everyone's praising roasting them, but i think my favorite way to eat them is to throw 'em in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes and then directly into an ice bath. slice them in half. then cover them in a vinaigrette (white wine vinegar, olive oil, s & p, and coarse ground mustard).
ceforrester at 3:07PM on 10/29/07
Litte cabbages -- delightful autumn fare. Steam or boil just to soften, then lightly saute in butter and dust with S&P. Also saw a great roasting recipe on Amateur Gourmet am dying to try.
hatlady at 4:13PM on 10/29/07
Brussels sprouts roasted or thinly sliced and sauteed are divine! Season them heavily, the can take it.
Library Lady at 4:28PM on 10/29/07
Has anyone tried deep frying them? I saw a chef do this on ready steady cook and they turned out kind of ok...
I personally like them whole, steamed with a squeeze of lemon and lemon pepper
choc_puddin at 5:08PM on 10/29/07
My mom never made them or let us have them because of her fear of brussel sprouts! I tried one once on my own somewhere and was actually a fan...
go figure!
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 6:34PM on 10/29/07
Just putting in another vote for roasting. I love the bits of outer leaves that fall off and become salty, crispy flakes of deliciousness. Use good olive oil or some good (i.e. Ronnybrook) garlic butter, toss the halves in the oven w/some garlic....mmmmm, then drizzle a little balsamic or lemon juice or if you're fortunate enough to have it, some good-quality vanilla bean-infused balsamic. oh, baby
jbeach at 7:56PM on 10/29/07
1-cut em in half
2-melt some butter and oil in a skillet
3-place them cut side down, sprinkle w/ salt & pepper
4-cover and cook about 10 minutes on med heat til they turn nice and golden 5-brown on the bottom and are soft enough to eat. otherwise they cause flatulations...heehee
6-sprinkle with your favorite toasted nuts and maybe some good olive oil and balsamic vinegar. yum! they're so full of vitamins but the more you cook them the less nutritious they are
haricovert at 8:10PM on 10/29/07
Love 'em! Any way you want to cook them, I will eat them!
Rasted, sauteed, steamed, etc. all are great ways to cook with very different results in texture, taste, and appearance.
SayWhat at 8:22PM on 10/29/07
I love 'em too. Steamed, roasted, sauteed a la Ina Garten, any which way is good with those tiny little cabbages!
ride&cook at 10:10PM on 10/29/07
tasty, definitely tasty, shredded and sauteed with olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice, salt and pepper, then doused with toasted pine nuts and parmesan.
cybercita at 10:15PM on 10/29/07
Amazingly incredibly tasty delicious. I am IN LOVE with them right now. I get them fresh from the Farmer's Market and they are just amazing.
I also make brussel sprout hash with them:
http://thestudentstomach.blogspot.com/2007/10/martha-will-you-marry-me-and-my-brussel.html
StudentStomach at 10:45PM on 10/29/07
Delicious steamed with just butter, salt, and pepper. All of the roasting suggestions sound great too!
Christina at 11:57AM on 10/30/07
roasted, delicious.
I haven't made these yet, but they are delicious at Momofuku Ssam - fish sauce is involved so they aren't strictly veg
http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2007/10/momofuku-brussels-sprouts-recipe.html
Of course the bacon ones at Momfuku are even better...
guido at 3:23PM on 10/30/07
roasted, yes, but one of the current bacon cookbooks has a recipe for shredding them, and sauteeing them with bacon and shiitakes. ingredients downstairs in my kitchen, to be tried tomorrow night.
lemons at 3:26PM on 10/30/07
Since the request stated a preference for vegetarian recipes, I'd like to recommend a dish originally published in The Union Square Café's first cookbook. Hashed Brussels Sprouts w poppy seeds and lemon have become so popular, you'll find versions of it all over the internet, most notably one that intensifies the citrus flavor by calling for zest. The small amount of white wine contributes a lot, too. Orangette offers a pretty faithful version of the recipe here: http://orangette.blogspot.com/2005/11/state-of-sprout.html.
It is fascinating to see how certain combinations become fashionable such as Brussels sprouts w bacon. Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson promote the dish--I think--and it is great, especially w red onions.
When caramelizing Bsss, be careful since the little cabbage fists become aggressively bitter when scorched or over-cooked.
They're actually lovely when steamed, too, since the method won't make them soggy the way boiling can. Again, don't overdo it. I prefer to cut them in half when preparing them this way and turn off the sauna before they lose their bright green color.
It may sound unpleasant and thereby diminish trust in the first recommendation, but steam Bss halves w stubs of peeled carrots cut about one inch in length. While they're cooking, melt a little buter and add cider vinegar, horseradish and dillweed to taste. Toss the vegetables in the mixture and season liberally w freshly ground pepper and a little salt. (Adapted from one of the cookbooks published by Moosewood Restaurant where it is called a British dish.)
Eliz. at 11:54AM on 10/31/07
I definitely used to have an aversion to the suckers, but when I ended up cooking them on a whim last Thanksgiving, they came out wonderfully. My grandfather's wife was planning to simply boil them, but I insisted that we save them from that terrible fate.
Instead, I blanched them for a bit, so they would be a bit more tender, then halved them, melted a good-sized hunk of butter in a saucepan and plopped them in, flat side down, and seasoned them liberally with salt and pepper. When they were nice and brown and crispy on one side, I flipped them and basically just pushed them around the pan occasionally until they were caramelized and crisp around the edges. I served them fairly plain, just with a bit more salt and pepper, but I'm sure they would've been fantastic sprinkled with some chopped toasted walnuts or hazelnuts as well.
emmab at 9:36AM on 11/02/07
My husband makes amazing brussels sprouts by just cooking them in a pan with olive oil, onions and garlic (1/2 or whole cloves). By the time the sprouts are done the garlic and onion are practically burnt to hell, but they taste amazing. It's tough to get the sprout to garlic ratio right (making sure the sprouts are cooked enough but the garlic isn't burnt to tastelessness). I've read that blanching them before frying is a good solution but haven't tried it. In the end, salt them well. The sprouts are crispy and the garlic is nice and roasty. It's so good but takes patience and usually makes a bit of a mess of your pan.
Puffy at 10:01AM on 11/04/07