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Brussels sprouts recipe people who hate brussel sprouts will love
I’m not fond of brussels sprouts. No, I hate brussels sprouts.
Okay, lets cut to the chase. I loathe brussels sprouts.
But I’m doing this almost vegetarian thing, so I figure I better try them again and when I did I learned an important lesson and invented a brussels sprout recipe so easy it takes under five minutes to make and so good the husband has actually requested it. More than once.
Once I post this, I’m planning to be totally insufferable for the rest of the day. Just saying.
Everything I learned about vegetables I learned from brussels sprouts
Well, not everything, mind you. But I did learn one really important lesson. Whoever made them for me when I was a kid (overworked cafeteria lady, most likely, because the cooks in my family could cook) butchered them (and a ton of other vegetables) so wickedly I never wanted to eat them (and a bunch of other vegetables) again.
Heck, just the cabbage reek put me off.
Fast forward a million years later to me, good almost vegetarian that I am and . . .
Vegetarian recipe for brussels sprouts so good the husband will actually ask for them
Brussels sprouts (I fill a bag about a third or half)
Small knob of butter
Small splash of olive oil
Chestnuts (I get the vacuum sealed package)
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Wash the brussels sprouts, then cut them in half and removing the core if it is too hard. Don’t worry if some of the outer leaves come off.
Heat your sauté pan. When it is warm, add your butter and oil. When they are warm (a minute should do), add your brussels sprouts, cut side down. Dump the escapee leaves on top. They should suffer, too.
Leave five minutes or so until the brussels sprouts are golden brown (the trick to getting good color is to keep yourself from stirring the brussels sprouts). Turn your sprouts and add your chestnuts.
Cook until heated through, another five minutes or so. Add several good grinds of black pepper and a dash of sea salt. Taste. Add more (people, including me, tend to never add enough in the first place).
Thoughts and musings about brussels sprouts
- I serve these on rice for a main course, but they also make a great side dish.
- I think these might be nice with stir fried tofu, but I haven’t got around to trying it yet I’m just so damn grateful we’re eating brussels sprouts in the first place.
- If I am feeling industrious, I add onions to this (I caramelize them as I caramelize the brussels sprouts). If I am feeling really industrious I use shallots, instead. But shallots are so fussy to work with that there better be jewellery at the end of the meal.
- I keep meaning to splash a tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar on these after I turn them. I keep forgetting, but I bet it would be divine.
- The further you get from Thanksgiving and Christmas, the harder it is to find vacuum sealed chestnuts; so load up during the holidays and ignore the cashier who wonders what on earth you plan to do with all those chestnuts, honey.
Go ahead and paste those gold stars in the comments section now.
Comments
9 Responses to “Brussels sprouts recipe people who hate brussel sprouts will love”
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November 10th, 2008 @ 6:35 am
I saw a small package of brussels sprouts at our brand new Trader Joe’s this weekend…the SO and I traded looks and I said, “Well?” and he said, “Nah.” I was relieved. I’ve only eaten them once. I was about five years old and it was at the babysitter’s house. I remember being intrigued at first because they were cute. And then I discovered they were just tiny cabbages and tasted horrible. But I had to choke down a pile of them or not be able to watch tv. Horrid. The memory sticks with me over 30 years later.
But maybe I’ll give this a shot. They’re good for you, right?
November 10th, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
That’s so funny…I posted about Brussels sprouts today too-I just tried them for the first time (embarassing but true) and yeah…I didn’t like them too much. Maybe you have the secret to loving them…maybe it’s butter?? I want to love them, I really do.
November 10th, 2008 @ 3:19 pm
You know I wasn’t a fan of the brussel sprout either but then one day someone made them this way and it was good. First you steam til they’re soft. Cut in half and then sautee in a pan in some organic butter for a couple minutes than add some sea salt. It was dee-lish.
November 12th, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
Thanks for the recepie it looks easy and tasty. My husband is so happy that I will try to prepare it again because I had refused to include this dish for thanksgiving but now Im inspired to try.
November 18th, 2008 @ 11:36 am
What a nice and easy recipe! Thank you!
January 5th, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
FWIW, my sons, aged 17 and 28, both agreed that this was a great way to have the nasty little buggers!
May 11th, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
I LOVE brussel sprouts. Always have. Weird I suppose! I haven’t got any chestnuts but I am having brussel sprouts tonight. Trim them. Boil them first for a few minutes, then fry them in a little olive oil butter, add a squeeze of lemon juice (I think I will try the balsamic vinegar tonight.) Throw in a hand full of walnuts sprinkle with about a tabls. of fresh grated parmasen cheese.Kosher salt and pepper. It is a complete meal
May 17th, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
I think it was the fact that our mothers use to boil the backsides off these wee guy’s that’s put us all off. I’m trying not to do that to my two, long live the delightful, slightly steamed, brussel sprout.
February 8th, 2010 @ 7:43 am
This looks like a fantastic recipe. (It actually reminds me of one I posted just recently.) I think the secret for delish brussel sprouts is to saute rather than boil. This makes a huge difference in texture! Oh, and butter never hurts either.