Brussels Sprouts--Two Ways

BEST OF THE TASTY CHEAPSKATE



Sorry, universe, but I can't write about cookies all the time. (Don't worry, next week we'll be writing about cake.) 'Tis the season for cool season vegetables (even if southern Indiana hasn't figured out the whole 'cool season' thing yet).

Because of that, it's time to tackle the most unfairly hated of all vegetables: the Brussels Sprout.

I think we're going to have to blame either '50s pop culture or '50s housewifery or both for this hatred. Apparently, back in the day, people used to boil the unfortunate little vegetables, which is really the only way NOT to prepare these guys. Sauteed, baked, or even raw, they're pretty delicious, but boil them up and you get soggy, bitter greens. No thank you.

Below, you'll find two of my favorite recipes for making Brussels Sprouts. They are amazing--like fancy restaurant good. They're easy. They're seasonal. They are not your 1950s Brussels Sprout.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Aioli. Warm, creamy. Better than any appetizer ever.

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Pecans, and Goat Cheese. Perfect for November, or any time.

They're not half bad on their own either. You can eat them raw in any cole slaw style food. Or stir-fried with a bit of oil and salt and pepper.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Aioli

So I almost posted another cake recipe on here today. You deserve it, of course. But I thought that I really should get back to writing about real food (you know, sometimes). So then I was going to post Chicken Lazone, which is kind of like the dessert of the meat world because it contains no less than two cups of heavy cream (you deserve that too). And then I thought that maybe I should get control of my food porn problem and seek help or something. But then I didn't. So, even though you're getting a Brussels sprouts recipe today, you should know that it is every bit as fantastic as all those other recipes. It's a little more wholesome, but I did make a garlic aioli sauce to keep it from becoming too virtuous.

Cole vegetables are in season right now. Cole vegetables are the broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale family. They have an undeservedly bad reputation. Maybe because these veggies have often been used at times of war, famine or distress to keep starving people alive. No one loves a vegetable they had to eat every day for two years when the only other option was eating tulip bulbs. And they are vegetables that don't take well to canning (or boiling for that matter), so some traditional means of cooking and preserving them make them gross. Which hasn't helped their reputation at all. But in non-starving America where you can roast your delicious cool season vegetables and serve it up with a side of dipping sauce (not because it is necessary; these are delicious even without it), you should definitely add some of these lovelies to your meal rotation. They're easy. They're healthy. They're on sale.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Aioli
adapted from Cakescottage
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes
Cost: $1.85
Brussels sprouts: 1.50, mayo: .20, other stuff: .15

1 pound Brussels sprouts, cut in halves or quarters if they're large
olive oil
salt

For Aioli sauce:
6 Tbsp mayo
1/4 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Set oven to 400 degrees. Toss Brussels sprouts in olive oil and salt (the dip has no salt, so we're relying on a little salt here). Roast for 20-30 minutes (depending on how big the halves/quarters are). Ever 10 minutes or so, you'll give them a little toss, so they get color on all sides.

While it's cooking, prepare the Aioli sauce. To do so, just mix all those ingredients together (rocket science, here I come).

Serve the Brussels sprouts warm with the dip. You can serve it as a side or a light lunch.

Note: You'll have leftover sauce (at least I always do. It's great with meat, especially chicken, especially chicken or pork sandwiches).

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Asian Brussels Sprouts

If you ask most people, they'll tell you they don't like brussels sprouts. That's because they've never really had brussels sprouts. They've only ever had soggy little cabbage balls. Or perhaps they haven't even had those--they've only had the idea of soggy little cabbage balls in this woefully slandered member of the broccoli family. At any rate, before you pass judgment, you should make these. They are fabulous beyond fabulousness. They are like the brussels sprouts you thought you knew went to Hollywood and made it big (minus the plastic surgeries).

Asian Brussels Sprouts
adapted from The Baker Mama
serves 2-4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Cost: $2.00
brussels sprouts: 1.50, other stuff: .50 (yeah, I'm totally guessing here; sorry)

1 lb brussels sprouts
3 Tbsp canola oil
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp Sriracha sauce
pinch black pepper
salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a rack on the top (yup--top).

Cut sprouts in half and remove any leaves that are wilty or falling off.

Spread brussels sprouts on a cookie sheet. Coat with oil and sprinkle with satl.

Place on TOP rack for 40-60 minutes, stirring them every 15 or 20 minutes to ensure that all sides get browned and crispy.

During the last 10 minutes of cooking, put other ingredients in a pot and boil them until they reduce into a thicker sauce (about 5 minutes)

Remove sprouts from oven and brush with the sauce. I did this with a pastry brush and it worked perfectly. You'll likely have leftover sauce. You can use this for dipping if you wish.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Pecans, and Goat Cheese

January has been a slightly schizophrenic food month for me in which I have haphazardly skipped from intensely healthy foods to intensely indulgent ones. This one goes in the healthy camp since it's basic element is a nice, healthy vegetable. However, I'm sure there would be those who would argue that pecans, goat cheese, and maple syrup don't really deserve fully healthy billing. I'm not going to quite give it to them because the boiled unsalted unbuttered Brussels sprouts of the world are just the type of sin that has made the universe hate this completely delicious vegetable. Last week when I had some friends over for lunch, I asked them if they wanted Sunday supper or a warm Brussels sprouts salad. Yeah, they chose the Sunday supper. And while I don't blame them for this (because Sunday supper is amazing), I have a feeling that they didn't really know what they were missing out on by passing up the Brussels sprouts. It felt kind of like I'd asked them, "Hey, do you want this cracker that just dropped on the floor and got stepped on or these Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies that just came out of the oven?" They smiled politely when I asked about the Brussels sprouts, but I sensed the terror in their eyes--"Is she really going to make us eat Brussels sprouts for the lunch she invited us to." And Brussels sprouts deserve better feelings than that. Way better. Also, I should point out that this awesome salad is more than just a salad--it is a perfect little well-rounded meal complete with protein and calcium. Also, even though it calls for all kinds of indulgent and potentially expensive ingredients, you use just a bit of each to create a really decadent, fabulous vegetable dish without breaking the bank. I could eat it every day.

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Pecans, and Goat Cheese
adapted from Rachel Schultz
Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Cost: $3.20
brussels sprouts: 2.00, cranberries: .30, pecans: .50, goat cheese: .30, other: .10

Note: This is fairly adaptable. You could use walnuts instead of pecans or even probably pine nuts to good effect. You could use feta or blue cheese instead of the goat cheese (any softish, spunky-ish cheese will do). Also, I used dried cranberries (that I threw in near the end), but the original recipe called for fresh, which she cooked with the brussels sprouts so they would burst and shrivel a bit on their own. So feel free to use what you've got.

Note: I halved this recipe (and then ate it all myself, yes, I did). If you make the full recipe, be sure you've got enough space in your pan that your brussels sprouts are all in more or less one layer on the pan.

Note: Yes, I did just use "handful" as a measurement and, no, that's not fair. My hand holds about 1/4-1/3 C of stuff, but seriously, this is a very adaptable recipe, so don't get too caught up in exact measurements.

1 lb brussels sprouts, quartered (and with ends and any wilty-ish leaves removed)
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (yes, balsamic is definitely best, though you could probably get away with something else)
1 Tbsp maple syrup (the real stuff)
1 handful dried cranberries
1 handful pecans (lightly chopped or in pieces)
1 handful crumbled goat cheese

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add Brussels sprouts and a generous sprinkling of sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally. Let them get some golden or even brown color to them. This is important. Do not fear the brown edges.

When they're browned and delicious, add the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Stir. Add in pecans and cranberries and stir, letting cook for another minute or two.

Take off heat and add the cheese. Taste and add salt if necessary. Eat it. Oh, it's so good.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Work-a-Day Wednesday: Braised Brussels Sprouts

Lately brussels sprouts and I have really been feeling the love. I discovered I actually liked brussels sprouts last year after overcoming a life of lies, deception, and a couple unfortunate run-ins with buffet style brussels sprouts.

I've come even further since then. This summer I gave them a try in my garden--just on one of those gardeny whims. Only one of my plants actually ended up producing and I'll be danged if I didn't have the slightest idea of how these babies looked on a stalk. I'd expected the sprouts part to cluster up in a little bunch at the top, a la broccoli. Instead they grow in the nooks of the leaves and get larger as the season goes on. They take a long time to mature (I actually harvested mine--and they were teeny--in an unseasonably warm December since I hadn't put them in till May). I got a whopping 1/2 C of tiny sprouts, but I was proud anyway, and I'll be darned if they didn't sautee into the sweetest little things.

And then brussels sprouts recipes started popping up all over the internet. And then I learned that they're called brussels sprouts, not brussel sprouts. (Who knew?)

And then I made a bunch of sprout recipes in a row. They were all different and all delicious.

The thing about brussels sprouts is that you can't boil or steam them or they get a bitter taste. Sometimes, if you leave them whole they'll boil or steam within their own little tightly-leafed heads even if you're roasting or sauteeing them, so it's best to chop or thinly slice them.

If you're going to be cooking them in water or stock as I do with this recipe, the cooking must be done quickly and without a lid. I cannot stress enough that you don't want these steaming. Set them to high heat and let them absorb the yummy liquids, but don't let them stew in the liquids. This makes for fast cooking. Which is why they're so nice for Work-a-Day Wednesday. They're done in 5 minutes. 

Just be sure to make them last because they really are best served hot. 

A newcomer to the the brussels sprouts revolution? Have a look at my original post, How Not to Hate Brussels Sprouts. 

Today's recipe is originally from Laura at This Is How We Eat. Laura and I were high school friends (she's also got a butt-kicky voice and the best hair ever) and have now been reunited through facebook and food. Isn't growing up nice? 

Braised Brussels Sprouts

adapted from This Is How We Eat

Prep and cook time: 10 minutes

Cost: $2.75

1 pound brussels sprouts

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 C chicken stock

Chop of the ends of your brussels sprouts and get rid of any sad leaves. Thinly slice the heads of the sprouts (alternately I'm sure you could just chop them, but they're prettier sliced). 

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add brussels sprouts and garlic and raise heat to medium high. Stir them very consistently--as in not quite constantly, but don't run off and do something else. Stir them every 30 seconds or so. When the leaves/slices get a bit wilty, soft, and perhaps a wee bit brown at the edges. Now add half your chicken stock. It'll soak up/boil off pretty quickly and that's a good thing. Add the rest of the stock and let it soak up/boil off quickly as well. When the liquid is nearly gone, but not quite, take the brussels sprouts off the heat.

Eat them soon thereafter. If you wish to add a sprinkle of Parmesan, I won't stop you, though they definitely don't need it. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

How Not to Hate Brussels Sprouts

Cheap Eat Challenge Count Down: 33 Days

I know I promised you a turkey soup recipe today. And I did make turkey soup. Actually a turkey chili. I adapted it from a chicken chili recipe, which is awesome. Unfortunately, the turkey version was not. Like, at all. It was, in fact, borderline gross. I'm not sure why. I like turkey. And the cold turkey tasted great to me. In fact, I was nibbling away on it as I chopped. But once cooked into the chili, the whole dish tasted...putrid--like I was eating the giblets or something instead of some yummy leftover dark meat. If any of you scientists out there would like to explain how/why that happened, I would be much obliged. At any rate, I scrapped any plans I might have had for using the rest of the turkey in a turkey fried rice and plan to go for turkey salad sandwiches tomorrow. If I end up with anything wonderful, I'll let you know.

In order to fill the blogging void, I was forced to gorge myself on pumpkin smoothies. There are worse fates. I still don't have the perfect one, but hopefully by tomorrow I will.

So, today you get to hear about the one thing I made today that was just right: brussel sprouts. You heard me. Until one week ago, I had had brussel sprouts twice in my life. And I'd lied about having them once to my mom (sorry mom) because she bought some frozen ones thinking they were peas (you know how those packages look--especially when you've got several screaming kids in a cart--grab, go, grab, go). My dad hated brussel sprouts so we were excused from eating them if we tried them and didn't like them. I sure didn't want to try the nasty looking things so I said I'd had them at school and didn't like them. Now my mom wasn't an idiot; I'm sure she was smart enough to know that school lunch served things like tater tots, not brussel sprouts, but she let me out of it anyway.

As an adult, I tried them twice at buffets, and that sure didn't endear them to me. But a few weeks ago, I found a link to these gorgeous-looking brussel sprouts from a less gorgeous-looking adaptation on cheaphealthygood. I chose to make the prettier, but not-quite-as-full-proof version. And this is what you get by judging a book by its cover.

They were so pretty. But I had to choke them down. I'm not one that usually has to choke vegetables down.

I would have given up except that I had another half-pound in my fridge and I hate wasting food--even that of the nasticular variety. So today for lunch, I took those brussel sprouts and I chopped them up, following the advice of the folks at cheaphealthygood. They were still pretty, though not quite as much. And they were good, really really good.

The thing about brussel sprouts is that if you steam or boil them, they get a bitter edge at best and a soggy bitter pure nasty taste at worst. And the other thing with brussel sprouts is that it's easy to steam them becase even when you're trying to saute them the insides can steam as the outsides saute if the pieces are too large. They may look pretty cut in half, but keep chopping and your mouth will thank you.

P.S. I tried them raw--something I would have found unthinkable at age 8 or, uh, 25. And they were...good. Quite good, actually. They would have been great shredded into salads. All these years and who know that one of the most loathed vegetables of all time (which incidentally have the initials BS) can be eaten raw to very good effect.

So when making brussel sprouts, think saute, salad, shred (or chop small, but I was going for the alliterative effect you see).

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
loosely adapted (from something that is barely a recipe in the first place) from cheaphealthygood

1/2 lb brussel sprouts, chopped small
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
salt and pepper to taste

Cut ends and any wilty-looking leaves off the sprouts. Chop small.

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add butter. Toss brussel sprouts in and add salt and pepper. Mix them about until the edges are a bit golden (shouldn't take too long). Add a bit more butter or olive oil if it soaks it all up and your brussel sprouts start sticking. Do not cover them with a lid ever. Eat warm.

P.P.S. I ate the whole half pound. And they were awesome.

PRINTABLE RECIPE