Brussels sprouts have long been the black sheep of the Brassicaceae family of vegetables closely related to kale, cauliflower, and mustard greens.
Their reputation for being bitter, soggy, and foul-smelling stemmed from the way they were prepared in the past - boiled and overcooked. Thanks to creative chefs, this nutritious and delicious vegetable is now getting the attention it deserves.
Chefs are cooking Brussels sprouts using every method imaginable - sautéing, braising, grilling, and roasting.
Raw Brussels sprouts make a delicious salad. Simply shred or thinly slice the sprouts using a food processor slicing disc, mandoline or sharp knife, and combine with chopped kale, sliced apples, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, grated Parmesan cheese, and toss with your favorite tart dressing.
My favorite way to prepare them is to roast until crisp, caramelized and golden brown on the outside, and sweet and tender on the inside. I love to eat them straight off the baking pan like candy.
These would be lovely with grilled, steak, chicken or pork; or if serving on their own drizzled with blue cheese or balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, or for an Asian twist, Teriyaki sauce.
Start with bright green sprouts without any brown spots or yellow leaves. Buy them on the stalk if possible (they look like tiny cabbages circling a 20-inch stalk) because they will be tender and sweet. On the stalk or boxed they will keep for about a week in the refrigerator vegetable drawer.
To make roasted Brussels sprouts, remove the outer leaves and discard any woody stems at the bottom of the sprouts. Cut larger sprouts in half, leaving smaller ones whole. Toss with olive oil and seasoning, place them cut side down in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and roast at 400 for about 25-30 minutes. They are done when the bottoms are caramelized and can be pierced easily with a fork. They are delicious tossed into pasta, served over risotto, added to a grain bowl or salad.
ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH SOUR CREAM AND KUMQUAT AND CHILLI RELISH
Makes: 4 servings
1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, halved
Olive oil for coating sprouts
10 sweet kumquats (see note)
1 long red chilli
1 tablespoon flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
1/4 cup sour cream, thinned with some milk or water, to drizzle
Preheat oven to 400F.
Toss the Brussels sprouts in enough olive oil to coat them, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread them out on a baking tray lined with baking paper and roast for 2530 minutes, or until well-browned and crispy.
To make your relish, thinly slice the kumquats, removing any seeds as you go. Give them a rough chop. Thinly slice the chilli (removing the seeds if you don't like things too spicy) and combine with the kumquat. Mix that all together with the chopped parsley and the extra-virgin olive oil with a good pinch of salt.
Spread the Brussels sprouts on a platter and drizzle with the sour cream. Sprinkle the relish over the top and serve warm or at room temperature.
Adapted from "Always Add Lemon" by Danielle Alvarez, Hardie Grant Books ($35).
Josh Cellars California Pinot Grigio 2019 ($15) is a crisp and bright wine with flavors of citrus and passionfruit and hints of green apple and pear. It pairs perfectly with grilled chicken, fish and roasted Brussels sprouts.
Danielle Alvarez was born to a food-loving Cuban family in Miami, but the lure of the kitchen took her to California to work at the French Laundry, Boulettes Larder and Chez Panisse restaurants. She now lives and works in Sydney. Alvarez writes, "As far as kumquats are concerned, I don't think most people know you can eat them whole, like Meyer lemons. They only show up for a few months a year, so take advantage of that moment. In this case they make an excellent relish for these sprouts, but I love to put the same relish on fish, duck, sugar-snap peas or even chicken."
NOTE: Kumquats are in season right now, but if you can't find them, grated orange rind and orange segments cut into 1/2-inch pieces can be substituted.