2010-07-25

Brussels Sprouts

I am trying very hard to be more adventurous. What better way to be adventurous than to try brussel sprouts. I've never had brussel sprouts and there place as being an unwanted side for many a child is legendary.

I'm hoping that some vegetables or ingredients may become more appealing when I (myself) handle the cooking. In this case I thought about brussel sprouts. Everything I have read has said the reason so many people don't like brussel sprouts is because they at some point have been served brussel sprouts that were overcooked. Sprouts are like a number of other food that they taste good when properly cooked but absolutely horrendous if even slightly overcooked.

I looked around on the interwebs and finally opted to go with this recipe.


A little googling by the little lady and we find the recipe (or a similiar recipe).


1 pound trimmed and cleaned Brussels sprouts
4 slices of bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Using the slicing blade on your food processor, cut the Brussels sprouts into slices about 1/4-inch thick, about 5 cups.

Scatter the bacon pieces in a large skillet, add the oil, cover and cook over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pieces are crisp and brown and most of the fat is rendered. Add the sliced sprouts, salt and pepper; cover and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes to soften the sprouts. Uncover and cook over high heat, tossing occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until the sprouts are tender but still a bit firm. Serves 4.

We opted to go with a recipe where the sprouts were shredded. Bacon seemed like the most common seasoning for sprouts but only about a fourth or fifth of the recipes we found included shredding the sprouts. We felt like this might be better because we felt like maybe it decreased the likelihood of either over/undercooking and the resulting "stank" it would release. The result was pretty good.


From Food and Restaurants



Of course never having eaten brussel sprouts I am assuming they tasted good since they were edible. I think they were good since 1- they didn't stink and 2 - I (a non-brussel sprout eating person) could eat them. The salt seasoning and the yummy crunchiness the bacon brought definitely added to it. The key to keep it from stinking and tasting too bitter is to cook it for as little time as possible. Even undercook it you need to. Better a little raw and undercooked than slimy and smelly.

Brussel sprouts. Give them a shot.


No comments:

Post a Comment