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Posted at 11:50AM, 05 December 2008 by Jenni Muir - Food writer

It's that time of year again - when we have to start boiling the sprouts ready for Christmas lunch. No, I'm only kidding. Slightly.

Once we're in the run-up to Christmas, sprouts become part of the marital obligation

My husband loves Brussels sprouts, and I do not. Growing up in the Australian sun means I do an extremely good job of ignoring their existence most of the time, but once we're in the run-up to Christmas they become part of the marital obligation. This has been made clear to me in previous years, so I keep an eye out for recipes that might help me score points without turning each dinner into a trial.

First up was a raw Brussels sprout salad with walnuts, lemon and parmesan, which as I'm sure you will have guessed straight off was not a huge hit with the man who just wants them boiled and tossed in butter. Very, very thin slices are the key to making this recipe work - I did them in the food processor and they were still a bit too heavy-going. Also, with all those nuts and cheese, it's more of a starter than a side dish.

New York chef David Chang of Momofuku and Ssam bar has caused quite a stir amongst bloggers and restaurant critics with his Korean takes on Brussels sprouts - roasted and served with bacon and kimchee , or deep-fried and sprinkled with a punchy dressing of fish sauce, mint and chillies . Of course few people these days can be bothered dragging out the deep-fryer (not even to disguise the taste of Brussels sprouts), so they've quickly come up with an alternative roasted version.

For the first time this year I've cooked sprout tops - the top bundle of leaves from the stalks on which Brussels sprouts grow. They taste sweeter and milder than sprouts, so to my mind are much, much nicer. Really a different vegetable altogether. They look a bit like an old lady's corsage and commonly used to be lopped off and thrown away - but not anymore!

At our farmers' market they're currently selling for 40p each - that's one serving - while a whole stalk of Brussels is only £1, and a massive Savoy cabbage that could serve six or eight is 60p. I'm not sure if that's the growers taking advantage of us naïve townies again or simply the fashion factor. In any case, beware trendy vegetables when you're watching the household budget.

Plenty of men proudly strut home from the market with a long stalk of Brussels on their shoulder - David looks at them enviously and I expect I'll have to give in this weekend. But look at the size of the things! How am I going to get through all of those?

Comments

James

5 December 2008, 1:13PM
James

I roast them too - definitely the best way, you just need to take off the (well cooked) outer leaves when they're done. Also nice cooked in the same way as creamed cabbage - chiffonade te sprouts, put in pan with white wine, double cream and a little wholegrain mustard - by the time they're cooked the cream mixture has reduced. A winter warmer. You can also replace cabbage with the brussel sprouts to make the euro-version spring roll with minced beef, sprouts. Filo pastry could be used instead of spring roll if you can't find it. Sounds odd, but extremely tasty.

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James

5 December 2008, 1:13PM
James

I roast them too - definitely the best way, you just need to take off the (well cooked) outer leaves when they're done. Also nice cooked in the same way as creamed cabbage - chiffonade te sprouts, put in pan with white wine, double cream and a little wholegrain mustard - by the time they're cooked the cream mixture has reduced. A winter warmer. You can also replace cabbage with the brussel sprouts to make the euro-version spring roll with minced beef, sprouts. Filo pastry could be used instead of spring roll if you can't find it. Sounds odd, but extremely tasty.

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Andy Lynes

5 December 2008, 1:14PM
Andy Lynes

How about Anton Mosimann's braised brussles sprouts in cream, the recipe is online here http://tiny.cc/uHslW . I remember seeing Mosimann demonstrate the recipe on TV years ago (it might well have been the original version of Food and Drink with good old Chris Kelly) and I was amazed to see him shred the sprouts - who'd have thought of doing such a thing!

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Badger

6 December 2008, 2:28PM
Badger

This time of year i dig out an old copy of a Wilbur Smith book, as the inside cover holds the ingredients of a recipe that make these things almost edible, it was hastily jotted down about 30 yrs. ago, so you may have to improvise, but take chopped garlic, whole mustard seeds, sliced mushrooms, three tablespoons of chicken stock or water, and your sprouts. Add a tablespoon of oil to a hot wok, throw in about a desert spoon of mustard seeds and let them pop, add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for a minute, then your sprouts and fry for a couple of minutes, they should go a nice glossy green, season and add your water or stock, continue to cook until edible but still crunchy.This whole process needs to be fairly quick to avoid the dreaded sprout flavour from developing . The ingredient quantities are to taste, but if you are cunning will taste more of mushrooms than sprouts!

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AdrianB

7 December 2008, 2:42PM
AdrianB

Stop me if I'm wrong here - but if sprouts are so close to cabbage in genus and species... and cabbage is so good when slow cooked a la sauerkraut style... then perhaps some Christmas gammon slow cooked with sprouts in a crock-pot/slow-cooker and plenty of pork friendly Christmassy spices such as cloves... like I said, stop me if I'm wrong, I haven't done it.......... yet.

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sioden

8 December 2008, 4:31PM
sioden

My father makes a lovely sprout dish at christmas. gently fried in a large saucepan, with ginger and orange zest and a little butter, then add some orange juice - lovely - sprouts are still crunchy, but flavoured with the orange and ginger they're divine!!

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lizzie

8 December 2008, 5:48PM
lizzie

Had a sprout puree today made by sweating some onions, adding double cream and reducing. Cook sprouts for5 mins then add to onion and cream. Mash down until puree. Salt and pepper. Absolutely delicious

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James

10 December 2008, 8:48PM
James

..... or sprouts caramelized with pommegranite molasses: http://www.norecipes.com/2008/11/30/foodbuzz-24-24-24-a-west-asian-thanksgiving/

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Henny's

14 December 2008, 9:07AM
Henny's

Have you tried sprouts in a cheese sauce, its the only way my family will eat them, boil sprouts in salted water drain well and pour over a coating cheese sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese and finish under the grill. For a crunchier topping add a few breadcrumbs to the grated cheese before grilling

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