Love ’em, or Hate ’em?
I discovered the the secret!
There are few people who are on the fence about brussels sprouts. They are a proper green vegetable and you either hate them, or you love them. For years I really wanted to like them. I knew just how good they were for me, and the mini cabbages were so darned cute that I genuinely tried to like them. Alas. When writing my book on vegetables I did discover a way of “hashing” them with bacon and then dressing with sour cream that definitely made them more than edible, but seemed to undermine their nutrition that I so admired. It makes for a great “once a year” thanksgiving dish, but I wanted guilt-free brussels. jump to recipe
Then I heard a bit of kitchen wisdom from another feeder. She knew the secret. She shared that the trick to liking these sulphuric little orbs was to blanch them. It made sense. A quick splash in a pot of boiling salted water would soften anyone. I gave it a go, and voila! Green vegetable yumminess ensued. I still hash them, but a well browned shallot and splash of lemon juice is all they need after blanching, and I can enjoy serious veggie virtue.
This week I was reminded of grilled parsnips I had at a celebrity chef’s tapas bar years ago. As wacky as it may sound, they were memorably delicious, and I recalled that they had been treated to a kiss of molasses before grilling. So, after blanching my sprouts I gave them a quick sauté and finished with a splash of molasses. I am going to highly recommend this combo, especially if you have a wish to like brussels sprouts, but don’t. You just might!
Ingredients
- 12 brussels sprouts, about
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. Tamari or soy sauce
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of well salted water to a boil, and make an ice bath in a bowl.
- Drop in your brussels sprouts and blanch for 1 minute, then drain and "shock" in the ice bath for a few minutes.
- Drain sprouts, then cut in half.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little oil and the shallot. Let brown slightly then add the garlic and let cook another minute. Add the sprouts and Tamari and toss to coat. Let cook another 2-3 minutes, then enjoy!
