Brussel Sprouts

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Buckytom
We're in the same sitaution as you.... the UK is so close to southern Europe (and beyond) - in real terms.... indeed, those 'foreign' countries are nearer than parts of the USA are to NY.... - so we have 'fresh' veg, in season, from lots of different places!

However, I am discerning in what I buy. We get LOTS and LOTS of veg from Spain - including the most marvellous looking tomatoes... all with absolutely zero taste! Look good, but tasteless.... Ditto 'new' potatoes from Israel.... Love the look of them and the type (Nicola) but they go mushy when boiled or steamed.... yet Nicola potatoes from Cyprus or Greece are great...

In winter in the UK, it is mostly root vegetables and brassicas that are available.... hence the tradition of good hearty stews and casseroles; that's all that was available in times gone by! But the channel tunnel means that if you live in London or other areas of the SE of England, you could go to Calais for lunch and to stock up on booze and cheeses etc and be home by 7.00 pm.... (I've done it!) Scotland is too far for such adventures!
 
ishbel, it's funny how us yanks think of europe. we are so used to living in a fairly large country, that we forget that europe's nations are remarkably close together. (i hope someday to eat my way, er, travel across western europe)
friends in dublin and belfast often go to scotland and france and spain on holiday, just as easily as i would go to florida, or colorado, or california.

i was wondering, has scotland gone on to the euro, or do you use sterling? when i travelled in northern ireland, i kept euros in one pocket, and british sterling in the other. i got tired of looking to see if the queen was on my bills and coins...
 
We are in the EU, but decided to stay out of the Euro (for the present, and please God, forever!!!). We use Sterling, but have our own Scottish banknotes - but both English and Scots banknotes are equally as accepted in Scotland.

Yes, we are so lucky in Europe. All those cuisines (genuine.... not 'transplanted'!!!) are available to us all with only a couple of hours travelling!

I go to Italy and France at least twice each year - more if I can manage to spare the time. I bring back lots and lots of foodstuffs! I love the French and Italian markets. Last year we holidayed in France (2 times), Italy (Florence), Greek island (Corfu), as well as a week's break in the Highlands of Scotland and a week in Cornwall. The only reason we were able to take so many breaks was that we had both accrued a lot of annual leave which, if we didn't take it, we would lose it..... But most years we both get 5-6 weeks leave anyway.... I think that's a lot more generous than most US companies give employees?
 
SizzlininIN said:
I was thinking about maybe making some of these as one of the sides for the holiday. I don't care for them but other family members do. Can you please share your recipe on how to prepare these and any other tips regarding them. Thanks :)

SizzlininIN, I fix brussel sprouts with baby carrots and make a dijon, roasted whole mustard seed and butter sauce and toss them just before serving. I made these for thanksgiving and someone there who hated brussel sprouts and took a 'polite' small amount said she now love brussel sprouts because of the sauce.
 
I just tried the brussel sprout with mustard recipe. It was nothing like the restaurant dish I tried. :( It still tasted like brussel sprouts. (I know, it's supposed to...but the restaurant dish was AWESOME) I think when I make this dish for xmas, I might try to dish throw stuff together.

I want the b. sprouts to take on the flavor of whatever sauce it's in. So I'm not sure if steaming it and tossing it in sauce is my answer. I thought maybe braise it instead of steaming? Not sure, but think this might be better to get the flavor of the sauce to go all the way through the b. sprouts.

I think I will take the mustard sauce, use it as a base and just start tossing stuff in...we'll see, hopefully it'll be at least edible!
 
htc said:
I just tried the brussel sprout with mustard recipe. It was nothing like the restaurant dish I tried. :( It still tasted like brussel sprouts. (I know, it's supposed to...but the restaurant dish was AWESOME) I think when I make this dish for xmas, I might try to dish throw stuff together.

I want the b. sprouts to take on the flavor of whatever sauce it's in. So I'm not sure if steaming it and tossing it in sauce is my answer. I thought maybe braise it instead of steaming? Not sure, but think this might be better to get the flavor of the sauce to go all the way through the b. sprouts.

I think I will take the mustard sauce, use it as a base and just start tossing stuff in...we'll see, hopefully it'll be at least edible!

Try cutting the sprouts in half, then more sauce will penetrate between the leaves.
 
Yes, this is what I did the first time around. I had the same thoughts you did. I'll report back how my 2nd try goes. :)
 
I just tried my own throw together version of b. sprouts.

Here's a loose idea of what I did

1 lb b. sprouts (stems cut off and cut in half)
2 sprigs fresh tarragon cut into small slivers
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
1/2 c c. broth
juice of 1/2 orange
couple splashs of vinegar (I used tarragon vinegar)
3 spoons sweet hot mustard
salt/white pepper to taste

Mix fresh tarragon, broth, OJ, vinegar & hot mustard in a bowl. Add salt/pepper to taste. heat pan with oil and tossed in the garlic. Then added the b. sprouts and sauteed for a minute or so. Add liquid and let sprouts simmer in pot until cooked to your liking.

I think using the different kind of mustard helped a lot this time. It didn't have as harsh of a taste as regular mustard does.

Hope someone tries this and lets me know how they like it and how I can improve it. :)
 
I like brussel sprouts, at least in moderation. My favorite way to have em is probably steamed, then sprinkled with black pepper, a tad of grated parm & smothered with Béchamel Sauce. Mmmm! :)

There's a bunch of recipes here though that I wanna try.
 
try using them instead of green beans in green beann casserole, and try using Hanover frozen Petite ones. i hate the bitter things and even i'll eat hanover ones.
 
I usually roast em w evoo, add S&P, sometimes grated Parmesan, sometimes butter & garlic slivers. (Recall another recipe using soy sauce, somewhere.) Here's a few I've collected. Haven't tried them all, but maybe there might be a recipe you'd like to experiment with. (Did a lot of copy/pasting from my files, so hope I didn't leave anything out.)

Brussels Sprouts, Chestnuts & Oranges
4 cups Brussels sprouts
1-1/3 cups chestnuts, peeled
1-1/3 large oranges, peeled and segmented
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. Trim each sprout by cutting a little piece off the bottom.Cut an "X" in the bottom of sprouts and place in steamer over boiling water. Steam covered about 10 minutes or until tender.

Remove sprouts from pot and cool. Cut each sprout in half and place in a casserole dish. Layer chestnuts on top of sprouts. Place oranges on top of chestnuts. Add broth and pour over all ingredients. Drizzle casserole with oil. Add pepper and salt. Bake 15 minutes or until oranges are soft.

Note: To roast whole chestnuts: Mark an "X" on the rounded side of each chestnut with a pairing knife. Place all the chestnuts on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until soft. Let cool. Peel, trying to keep chestnuts as whole as possible.
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Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 oz paper-thin slices pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth

Partially cook sprouts in large pot of boiling salted water, about 4 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and saute until beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add sprouts to the same skillet and saute until heated through and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add broth and simmer until broth reduces just enough to coat the sprouts, about 3 minutes.
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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tbl extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed, small sprouts left whole, larger sprouts halved
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup chicken broth

Brown bacon in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Remove bacon to paper towel lined plate. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan, 1 turn. Add shallots to the pan and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add sprouts and coat in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook sprouts 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften, then add broth.

Bring broth to a bubble, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 10 minutes, until tender. Transfer sprouts to serving dish with slotted spoon and top with cooked bacon bits.
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Spectacular Sprouts
1 lb Brussels sprouts
2 cups chicken stock or bouillon
3 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup sliced hazelnuts
1 naval orange

Trim sprouts removing any of the outer loose leaves. Cut a tiny X in the base of each sprout for even cooking.

Place stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add sprouts, cover and cook about 10-12 minutes. Length of time will depend on their size. Drain and set aside in a heated serving dish.

Melt butter in saucepan. Add hazelnuts and sauté until lightly browned. Add to sprouts. Sprinkle with finely grated peel and a couple tablespoons juice from the orange.
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Buttered Brussel Sprouts
1 container (1 pint) Brussel sprouts OR 2 packages (9 oz each) frozen Brussel sprouts
1 cup chicken broth
salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1 can (15 oz) whole chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine

Remove only the bruised leaves from the fresh Brussel sprouts; cut an "X" in stem-end of each sprout. Wash in warm salted water.

Bring broth to boiling in a large saucepan; add the fresh or frozen sprouts, salt, pepper and mace. Bring to boiling. Lower the heat to simmering and break apart the frozen sprouts with 2 forks. Stir in the drained chestnuts and cover the pan.

Cook frozen sprouts for 5 minutes, the fresh sprouts for 15 minutes, or until crisp-tender.Remove with slotted spoon to a heated vegetable bowl, reserving the cooking liquid for soup making. Add butter or margarine to the bowl; toss.
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More Sprouts
3 pounds medium Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 thick slices bacon (about 8 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Trim bottom end of the Brussels sprouts, leaving the core intact, and pull off the outer dark leaves. Halve through the core. Add the sprouts and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 6 minutes.

Drain and rinse under cold running water. (This can be done a day ahead.) Meanwhile, put the oil and bacon in a very large skillet or stewpot, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high, add sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until they brown and the edges get crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar, salt, pepper, and bacon.
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Maple Glazed Brussel Sprouts with Chestnuts
3/4 cup chestnuts (fresh roasted or canned)
1 pound brussels sprouts
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°. Bring 2 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. If fresh chestnuts are used, shell with a paring knife and toast on cookie sheet in the oven until the meat pulls from the shell and the shell and skin can be easily removed. If canned chestnuts are used, drain and dry them.

Trim the outside leaves from the Brussels sprouts and cut 1/4-inch deep cross in the bottoms of each. Drop them in the boiling salted water and cook until they are fork tender. Drain the sprouts and drop into ice water to shock and cool. Cut each Brussels sprout in half.

Add maple syrup to 10" saute pan and warm. Add sprouts and bring to a boil. Quickly add chestnuts and stir in butter. The syrup and butter will thicken and glaze the sprouts. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts
1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning or freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut off the ends of sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and lemon-pepper seasoning.. Transfer them to a sheet pan and roast 35-40 minutes, until crisp outside and tender inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and serve hot.

Optional: Drizzle of balsamic vinegar or parmesan, or plain with olive oil and kosher salt.
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Brussels Sprouts with Vinegar Glazed Red Onions
Garnish with toasted hazelnuts if desired.
1 basket brussels sprouts (about 10 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Trim outer leaves and stems from brussels sprouts, and discard. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and add salt. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath. Add sprouts to boiling water, and cook until tender but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and plunge into ice-water bath to cool. Drain well, and cut in half.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add sprouts, and cook, tossing occasionally, until they are brown and crisp on the edges, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a large bowl. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon each butter and oil to the same pan over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted and transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add vinegar (stand back to avoid the fumes), and stir to loosen any brown bits on bottom of pan. Cook until vinegar is reduced and onions are glazed, about 30 seconds. Add onions to brussels sprouts, and toss well.
 
wow! thanks mish. looks like i'm gonna be making brussel sprouts soon, and not just steamed with butter...
 
Thanks, BT. I often forget about them 'til holiday time, & wondered why I shouldn't make them all year round. I would probably enjoy them just tossing on some french fried onions. (Know that's not very gourmet, but who says you can't play with your food!)
 
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