Jan 16 2011
Sprouts
You would love my friend Mary. She’s kind and thoughtful on top of being über smart and funny. She’s the best American speaker of French that ever was (move over, Paul Auster), and the two of us enjoy quite a bit of Frenglish together. Most of all, she is the kind of cook that could make pigs’ ears taste good. Not that she’s ever tried, to my knowledge, but she could, is all I’m sayin’. And her Brussels sprouts are just UNbelievable.
Green is my favorite color.
I can hear you from here: yeah, sprouts… For most of you, the thought probably generates nothing more than a shudder, a childhood memory of boiled green nightmares that some pitiless relative forced you to eat (according to this, most of you had a Dickensian sort of upbringing). Oh, the humanity. But in the right hands (in your hands, dear reader), these wonders of nutrition can actually taste fantastic, with nothing more than a little garlic, lemon juice, and soy sauce.
This is where Mary comes in. Without her, I would have continued to enjoy my beloved little sprouts as I always had, baked in the oven with some olive oil until golden brown; enjoyable, for sure, but hardly the dynamite dish Mary turns them into. I wish I had a picture to show you how beautiful they look when they’re done, but unfortunately, Rob and our daughter (and I) got to them at dinner before I could snap a picture. All that is left is this:
Sad, isn't it?
I can assure you they were wonderful, and I encourage you to try the recipe below. When you have your first bite, you’ll want to say a Hail Mary, I know it.
Just one last word before I tell you how to make these little green beauties. I don’t know about you, but as a European teenager from the 80s, anytime I hear the word sprout, one thing comes to mind. Brace yourselves:
Don’t blame me. I didn’t say it was great, I just said it comes to mind. Anyhow…
Brussels Sprouts
1 lb Brussels sprouts (the smaller, the better), stems and outer leaves removed
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 to 3 tbsp soy sauce (make sure it says ‘naturally brewed’ on the bottle)
Sauté the sprouts in the olive oil in a large (12″) skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Add garlic and cook 1 mn more. Add lemon juice and soy sauce, cover, lower the heat, and cook for 5 to 10 mn. The sauce will have thickened to the consistency of syrup. Test sprouts with the tip of a knife: they should be easily pierced but still a little bit firm. Remove from heat, let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!
Hey, I’m reading this blog because Deb Amlen said I had to. You have made me want to try brussel sprouts (which I thought was “brussels sprouts,” but apparently it’s both). I’ve never even considered trying brussel(s) sprouts in my adult life. I tasted one once, on a SwissAir flight in the late ’80s. I think there was aspic somewhere on my tray as well. That experience was enough to put me off both those foods *and* the entire country Switzerland. But it’s almost 25 years later now, so … thanks for helping me get on with my life. PS don’t diss Prefab!
Any time, Rex, and thanks for the comment. As for the name, it should really be Brussels (cap. B) although in the case of sprouts, both are acceptable, with or without the ‘s’. Still, I’ll fix that. Regarding your last encounter with them: airplane food; ’nuff said. I think even chocolate tastes funny on a plane. So by all means, give these sprouts another chance; and I’ll give Prefab a rest!
Good boy, Rex.
I love Brussels sprouts, Christine, AND Mary (but not Prefab Sprout), so I will try these. My only variation is to add a little balsamic vinegar at the end, but these sound nummy!
Great post!
Thanks, Deb. They are totally nummy. Mary and I made an even better version, if such a thing is possible, for Christmas Eve dinner, which involves loads of butter and hazelnuts and other good things. I’ll post that as well some other time, but it’s a little more involved, and I want people to start making and enjoying sprouts with minimal effort first. Then we’ll switch gears, so stay tuned.
ok… I am printing out the sprouts and the chick pea dish. Bob ( visiting for the week-end) says that he has gird now…. so he can not eat any fried foods. He seems to have miraculously cured himself of gout so perhaps in time…. anyway these recipes are great and I think that after you have your new fabulous kitchen completed you should have some cooking classes!!!!