Brussel Sprouts

[Bondbug 32]

These veg are supposedly popular for Xmas, certainly in GB. They are of course one of the few seasonal veg here and have become traditional.

 

Me and 'Her' don't like them much. Too difficult to find good ones and then cook them just right. Boiled and slightly salted seems to be the norm. Served with a good white sauce is not bad but does not seem to go well with the rest of the Xmas Dinner.

 

I have heard them referred to recently as 'green sludge". Others grow them in their own garden from their preferred seed and swear by them.

 

So what do those of you who follow the tradition think of them, and how do you cook and serve them.

 

Any help to make this readily available veg edible will be gratefully received!

[cider_steve 26]

I absolutely LURVE sprouts, yumyum !

 

The best way is to steam them for a short while. DON'T boil them to a mush, but cook just long enough to be able to get a fork into them. If they are served with a little bit of firmness to them, then they retain a lovely full flavour.

 

I eat them with a lot of meals, served with some beef or chicken gravey.

 

Boy oh boy, I'm drooling now.

 

Steve.

[podgie_bear 184]

I second what Steve says, he has made my mouth water too!

Although I do enjoy them with just a touch of english mustard, not too much as it will overpower them, just enough to draw out the full flavour of the sprouts, but don't salt them as it kills the true flavour.

[chattius 2,531]

Welcome back Bondbug. I am currently sitting at volunteer firefighters while my family is at church. Will be released at 8pm. We have ice rain here and together with all the snow on trees already some of us are in readiness in case trees are breaking down. The ones with no kids will do the night shift. So I answer emails and read some forum probably for last time for some days. Will be visiting relatives.

 

Brussel sprouds are called Rosenkohl (rose cabbage) in our area, We grow them in our garden as winter food. I do not know if it is just our local variant, but they need frost. If the whole plant, while still in earth, is getting frost, some of the starch is changed to sugar. Just like with Schlehen (sloes ? like mini plums), they need a frost to become eatible= less bitter. That's why most people grew their own ones here.

 

Simple variant:

 

2 pounds sprouts

1 large spoon of butter

1 onion cut in small squares

make half a cup of bouillon = meat extract broth or other broth

 

heat onions in butter till they are glassy (loose their white colour, close to getting brown)

add sprouts and heat for 5 more minutes, you have to move them a lot

add some salt, pepper, nutmeg

 

add a half cup of bouillon and do 10-15 medium heat (dünsten nicht kochen, steaming not boiling ?)

 

We like it with potatoes and breaded cutlets-

[wolfie2kX 528]

These veg are supposedly popular for Xmas, certainly in GB. They are of course one of the few seasonal veg here and have become traditional.

 

Me and 'Her' don't like them much. Too difficult to find good ones and then cook them just right. Boiled and slightly salted seems to be the norm. Served with a good white sauce is not bad but does not seem to go well with the rest of the Xmas Dinner.

 

I have heard them referred to recently as 'green sludge". Others grow them in their own garden from their preferred seed and swear by them.

 

So what do those of you who follow the tradition think of them, and how do you cook and serve them.

 

Any help to make this readily available veg edible will be gratefully received!

 

I recently got a package seasoned of sprouts from the market. The instructions were to take them and put them either in a wok or saute pan and toss them around in a bit of olive oil until lightly browned. They weren't too bad - a bit undercooked perhaps. They were split in half and were seasoned with garlic and some herbs.

 

Another option would e to steam 'em until they're fork tender (about 10-15 minutes tops). Or for that matter, they can be steamed lightly and then stir fried or sauteed lightly with herbs and garlic served with mayo. Or a mayo/mustard sauce. Just don't overcook 'em.

 

There's like 148 odd recipies for Brussels Sprouts on Food Network's web site.

[gogoblender 3,071]

They're not something I enjoyed as a kid, but they're something I've actually come to hugely appreciate now. I love their "greenness". Sometimes when I go to our local chinese grocery store, my stomach growls in anticipation of anything strong, green and heavy. Brussel Sprouts to the rescue. I usually just scrub off the outsides a bit and throw 'em into spaghetti sauce. They sort of have a stuffed cabbage feel in the sauce. Filling and hearty.

 

 

 

gogo

[podgie_bear 184]

Aaarrgghhhhh! Brussels sprouts in spaghetti sauce? Sacrilege!

 

Ummm, is it nice?

[gogoblender 3,071]

hahahh, it IS actually nice ^^ In fact, here's a story. When I was at work, I used to bring in my spaghetti brussel sprouts sauce all the time and offered to share it with others. One of my friends was a real food snob...could not eat anything else unless it was prepared such and such a way. Course, to me, stuff like that's a challenge...and so I brought in an exceptionally well made brussel spathetti sauce, while touting it's claims... less meat needed, higher in fibrous matters, less saturated fat, and a delicious taste that is filling.

 

After a few bites...he was sold, and then made it for his old-school Scottish parents at home, a resounding success.

 

He kept saying how much the whole feel was like a deconsturcted cabbage roll... didn't know what that meant at that time, but if it's tasty it's good

 

 

gogo

[Bondbug 32]

You are brilliant, you lot. So many ideas to try.

 

Unfortunately my top plate broke during the left over bird and mushroom pie today. So I am back on sludgy sprouts ... till the superglue sets.