Even Brussels Sprouts Can Taste Good!
Yes, it’s true!
Of all the vegetables in the world, Brussels Sprouts (also called brussel sprouts, without the extra “s”) have long ranked as my least favorite, and I know that a lot of people feel the same way. But something I tried recently has made me realize that it is not the fault of this much-maligned vegetable, but is due strictly to the typical method of cooking it: boiling.
The brussels sprout is a close relative of cabbage, but instead of the sharp-but-sweet flavor of its cousin, it has a more bitter taste. This bitterness is often the cause of its demise on the dinner plate, but it does not have to be this way. In fact, bitterness can be used to contrast the other flavor elements that should be present in any meal.
As a quick review, the major flavor elements are: sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter. Good cooking has a minimum of two of these elements, and preferably three or better. Classic Chinese cooking absolutley requires the presence of all five to be considered gourmet food, but this is very difficult to achieve. But with the presence of the bitter edge of brussels sprouts, we have a good head start for at least three of them.
The first thing to realize is that boiling does nothing for them, not even if the water is salted. It does not develop any other flavors in the sprouts, and all you get is the bitter taste. This, combined with the salt that is normally used to try to mask it, merely adds the wrong dimension. What we need to do is introduce a new element, and preferable from within the food itself, rather than simply adding a new ingredient. This way, the new element is already in harmony with the existing flavor, and any new ingredients can be used to enhance rather than mask or replace flavors.
Fortunately, we have a technique that will do this for us: roasting. I have written extensively on this, and it is my favorite cooking method. If done correctly, it will carmelize the sugars in the vegetables, which will increase their sweetness, and make it a more complex, nutty flavor. And this is where brussels sprouts can surprise you.
To prepare, wash the sprouts, and cut off the stalks. Since roasting will soften the sprouts, you will not want the hardness of the stalks to be present. Next cut the sprouts in half, and place in a roasting pan cut side facing up. Sprinkle with salt, then drizzle with olive oil. Next, you can enhance the nuttiness with a little bit of nuts. (What’s nuttier than nuts?) I like using chopped walnuts, but you can also use pine nuts, sliced almonds, or anything else along those lines. Also, you can sprinkle some fresh thyme, or any other fresh herb that you enjoy. Just make sure it is not something hard like rosemary, which will detract from the texture.
Roast this for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then pull it out of the oven and stir it around a bit to mix the flavors and allow other surfaces to roast. Stick it back in the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
With this technique, we have three elements of flavor present in just one side dish: sweet (from the carmelization), bitter (although not as strong as in raw or boiled sprouts), and salty (from the salt, of course). Feel free to experiment with some sour or spicy ingredients to see if you can get even more elements, but I have not done so…yet.
When I first cooked brussels sprouts this way, it was the first time that they were the first left-over i went for, and I did not wait until the next day! Give this a try, and if you were not a fan of brussels sprouts before, I think this will change your mind.
Yours in Good Taste
Erik Christensen