Well on this trip, he saw this.
That's brussel sprouts. As they grow in nature. On a 2 foot long stalk. This thing looks like it could be a medieval weapon, and who in the world knows how to handle this vegetable? Not me.
But I was feeling adventurous and thought, why not? I've never had these baby cabbages, only heard about torturous family dinners where children were required to remain in their seats until the dreaded boiled brussel sprout was digested. Sounds like fun.
But, like I said, I haven't eaten them and my kids haven't tried them, so why not? Who know, we might LOVE them. And they were on sale, so it was an easy thing to give into making the boy feel a part of our culinary world.
I looked at these stalks and some had enormous sprouts, larger than ping pong balls. Others had mini sprouts, like marbles. Clearly there was something I should know about this process. I asked the produce man for help. Not a bright idea. He looked like a deer in headlights when I asked if there was a trick in choosing which sprouts to get. "Are smaller sprouts better? More tender? Sweeter?" I asked. "No, no," he replied. "That's just how they grow, you cook them all like brussel sprouts."
Um, ok.
So I took a chance and bought a stalk that seemed to have more middle-of-the-road sized sprouts. It wasn't until I got home to read up on some recipes that I learned smaller sprouts were better because they got tender faster without overcooking. Of. Course.
But here I am with easily three pounds of sprouts. I'm kind of excited to try these and a couple new recipes. I've already learned that boiling sprouts is a way to serve bitter and poorly recieved reviews. Carmelized pan-fried, or sauteed with bacon is a more welcome side dish.
So, here I go, embarking on a new veggie. How un-Boring of me, no?
These are part of every holiday meal at our house. Wiel lives them, I tolerate them and the kids don't touch them. We just boil them and dress with salt and nutmeg. The trick to getting them tender, is to take off the outer leaves, then cut an X on the bottom flat side. This helps them to steam better. Don't overlook. I have done them in my steamer as well. I have a recipe for an au gratin dish using brussels sprouts. I guess the thinking is, cover them in cheese and anyone can eat them. Let me know what you come up with....
ReplyDeleteRoasting them (like all veggies) makes them sweet and a lot more tolerable. Peel the outer leaves like Casey said and slice in half or quarters. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper roast at 425 until they start to turn golden brown. When they are done I sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese and serve. Let us know if you come up with any other good recipes.
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