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| Brussels sprouts |
| When I was coming up, there were plenty of those dreaded childhood foods that my siblings and I just never had to endure. Over the years, being the culinary detective that I am, I slowly introduced myself to some of these foods, and even added them to my list of “favorites”. One such vegetable, however, always eluded me, and no matter how hard friends and co-workers tried to convince me that my fears were unfounded, I wouldn’t budge. Then I was at a nice leisurely Saturday lunch with a friend. I noticed that the menu had Brussels sprouts on the menu as a vegetable option. I couldn’t bring myself to ordering an entire platter, after all, that was my initial problem: What if I don’t like them? I would end up wasting them or throwing them away, and I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t order the Brussels sprouts, instead, I ordered the Roasted Seasonal Vegetable Platter. Lo! There were a few Brussels sprouts on the platter! The perfect opportunity had arrived, I could sample the Brussels sprouts without worrying about whether I liked them or not! I felt pure anticipation, I was actually excited about this adventure! I pierced my fork into a halved sprout. I was in love! The flavor was mild, not bitter at all, not at all like the awful over-cooked cabbages [which they resemble] that stunk up the house. These tasted like a sweeter, milder version of broccoli [another favorite]. I was hooked. I began to think of all the ways I could prepare Brussels Sprouts, and how Asparagus and Broccoli were going to have to move aside while I experimented. Said to have been cultivated in 16th-century Belgium, Brussels sprouts are a member of the cabbage family and, indeed, resemble tiny cabbage heads. Many rows of sprouts grow on a single long stalk. They range from 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter and the smaller the sprout, the more tender. Brussels sprouts are available at market from late August through March. Most children were probably first introduced to Brussels sprouts at Thanksgiving, a perennial favorite and cultural rights of passage in many homes. Brussels sprouts are high in vitamins A and C, and are a fair source of iron. The trick to cooking ANY vegetable is to not over cook it. Aside from robbing the veggies from all of their vitamins, many can turn an unappetizing grey and become very bitter. Be kind to your veggies, and they will be desired and delicious! The restaurant had served their Brussels Sprouts roasted, and with “a lot of garlic”, as our waitress put it. The garlic on the vegetable platter was also roasted, so it lent a sweetness. I am a huge fan of roasting vegetables, and knew that my first experiment with Brussels Sprouts would come from being inspired by the restaurant’s platter. I am also very fond of roasted onions, and thought a Brussels sprouts with Roasted Red Onions would be very nice. I couldn’t have been more right. Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Red Onion When you cut the onions, the trick to keeping the wedges in tact is to leave the root end in tact. It’s also the best way to dice an onion without having the onion escaping from your grasp. 4 lbs. red onion 1-1/2 lbs. Brussels sprouts 1/4 cup olive oil Kosher salt Fresh-cracked black pepper. Preheat oven to 450° Trim the onions and cut each lengthwise into 6 wedges. Trim the Brussels sprouts. Add both to a large bowl with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Stir to coat and arrange in a single layer on a half sheet pan. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the onions and reposition the Brussels sprouts. Roast for another 20 minutes until the Brussels sprouts are tender and the onions are just tender and the edges begin to caramelize. The restaurant where I first had sprouts halved them lengthwise which gave them a broader surface for seasoning and sauce. I’ve done the same thing here. TOM’s BRUSSELS SPROUTS 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts 2 large garlic cloves, sliced thin 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter 1 Tablespoon olive oil 3 Tablespoons pine nuts Kosher salt Fresh-cracked black pepper Trim Brussels sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a 10-inch heavy skillet [preferably well-seasoned cast iron] melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil over moderate heat and cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Reduce heat to low and arrange sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle sprouts with pine nuts and salt to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning, until crisp-tender and undersides are golden brown, about 15 minutes. With tongs transfer sprouts to a plate, browned sides up. Add garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until pine nuts are more evenly pale golden, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture over sprouts and sprinkle with pepper. tom saaristo © Thomas Saaristo All Rights Reserved tom@tomsaaristo.com |