Printbrussel sprout smell
does anyone know a way to mask that scary brussel sprout smell? i love eating them (usually just sauteed/steamed lightly w/olive oil, s&p) but am embarrassed when i take my left-overs to school and heat them up and they stink! what can i do?
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10 Comments:
Try a little lemon juice or lemon /other citrus oil. Dont have to add to sprouts of course but put on cotton balls or into some spice tea or water.
Ask Cookey at 9:02PM on 05/12/08
Light a match! For real, it burns methane gas in the air and masks sulfurous smells.
butterface at 1:21AM on 05/13/08
Eat them cold? ;-)
sadiepix at 3:15AM on 05/13/08
We really like to cut them in half, toss with oil (olive, peanut, sunflower or another higher heat oil), salt, and maybe some minced garlic, onions if you wish, then roast (scatter on a pre-heated tray, toss half way through) till browned. These are so good it's amazing but they seem to taste even better the next day at room temperature so don't need heating. Great for snacking.
I've heard these can be sprinkled with balsamic or lime juice after cooking but we haven't done much other than adding salt yet. Might be good with a toasted sesame oil at the end too.
Sieseye at 3:46AM on 05/13/08
leave them/eat them at home! :P
I have to say I get a case of the yucks when people reheat known stinky food in the microwave.
There was a contract attorney we had working for us for a few years, he'd started to heat tuna fish in the microwave, eventually he was asked nicely not to do that anymore as the smell lingered for a really long time.
You could always burn some microwave popcorn if you must bring the sprouts to work, nothing is more offensive for the olfactory receptor neurons than burnt microwave popcorn.
Southern_bella at 7:55AM on 05/13/08
I believe the sulfur smell comes out when cabbages (as brussel sprouts are tiny ones) are cooked a long time. Maybe this is why you notice it more the next day. So, my advice is cook them less, but I'm not sure how you'd accomplish that.
SSMom at 9:43AM on 05/13/08
Really good question! We love cooking brussels sprouts at home but the smell does seem to linger. When it's just the two of us, who cares, but I feel your anxiousness about the school/work microwave situation. I am going to try lighting a match and/or burning a candle next time to see if it helps.
Jeana at 11:40AM on 05/13/08
LOL---I really think Southern_bella's suggestion of burning some microwave popcorn is a great idea! Also, if you don't burn the popcorn, get the extra buttery kind because everyone likes that uber-buttery smell and it'll mask your sprout-stink.
wookie at 11:41AM on 05/13/08
I make my brussels sprouts with pancetta, and when I reheat them, all I get is that yummy bacon-y smell that everyone (with the poss. exception of some vegetarians) loves. That is, if I have leftovers, which doesn't happen often.
rosezilla at 1:48PM on 05/13/08
I also haven't found a way to get around the brussels sprouts smell. I brought leftover sprouts to work one day (the skillet-roasted type are actually really good cold, with some extra salt and balsamico), and was *still* paranoid that I'd stunk up the lunchroom.
Same with cauliflower. Even cold, roasted cauliflower has that distinctive smell that really bothers a lot of people. I've resigned myself to not eating any of the cole family veggies in a public setting.
Some things are just meant to be enjoyed only in the privacy of one's home, you know? :)
pieninja at 7:05PM on 05/13/08