Wednesday 9 December 2009

love them or hate them?

I'm talking about the humble brussels sprout. Personally, I love them. One of the joys of winter, I would happily eat them day in, day out. I can't say I go for the soggy, overcooked variety so reminiscent of school dinners, but there are other more inspiring ways to cook them.


Have you ever had them roasted? They're quite delicious and will convert the most ardent sprout-hater. Prepare as usual by peeling off the outer leaves and trimming the stalk. Put in a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Toss them so each sprout is well-coated then add a grind of black pepper and a pinch of salt scattered over the top. Roast in a moderately hot oven, GM6/200C/400F, for about 40 -50 minutes, depending on the size of the sprouts. The outsides will be deliciously charred, and the insides will be melt-in-the-mouth sprout. Yum!

I've also had a few sprout risottos lately, the first one quite by chance. One of those 'what an earth can I have for supper moments?' that proved to be a hit. (Sautee an onion until soft, add risotto rice, stir until it glistens, add finely sliced sprouts, then proceed in usual way with a glass of white wine followed by hot stock. At the end, stir in a tablespoon of cream for good measure, and a handful of parmesan. Season well).

For other great ideas, this book is where it's at. How about 'A rich dish of sprouts and cheese for a very cold night' or 'Mashed brussels with parmesan and cream'? In fact, the whole book is an inspiration. I got it when it first came out in September, and for the first few weeks I couldn't put it down. Yes, I went to bed with Nigel every night. He was required bedtime reading.

17 comments:

Frogdancer said...

I love Brussels Sprouts. Only one of the boys likes them, so every winter every now and then Ryan3 and I have a feast!

dottycookie said...

Oooh, sprouts, yum. I usually just have them steamed but your risotto sounds very good indeed.

Lisa said...

We aren't a family of sprout lovers here, but I may try the roasted ones at Christmas. I did find a soup recipe recently which I thought I would give a go and try to get the children to eat tem that way!
Lisa x

Griffin said...

A friend of mine has a little boy who loves sprouts too... trouble is, he's a bit er, windy!!!

I may try them roasted, I like them stir-fried with sesame oil tho' with a little of their crunch still there.

ginny said...

roasted sprouts sounds delicious... i do like brussels... great post diana. and adorable picture of Walter on your last post.
Have a happy day x

Diane said...

I used to hate them - but mum boiled them to mush and added bicarbonate of soda - just so there was no goodness left in them at all!! I think the smell of them boiling away all that time put me off. However, I now love them as I cook them in many different ways. I am a big believer that you can find a tasty way to cook just about anything!

Clare said...

Love sprouts - roasted are so good, but just steamed with some butter and crispy bacon....oh mouth watering!!
C x

kristina said...

I love sprouts but am very particular about how they're cooked (no mush)! The risotto sounds like a great idea. K x

The Curious Cat said...

You are sprout mad! But I like the idea of roasting them...might have to suggest that to the mothership this Christmas...although there will be so much in the oven already she might not allow for adventures with sprouts...we do mix chestnuts into them for xmas which helps perk them up a bit for the sprout haters amoung us... I like them...I don't LOVE them...but Christmas would not be Christmas without the little green buggers! xxx

Simone said...

I love sprouts too! I am definitely going to try them roasted.x

Purrfect Haven said...

ok... you draw me back to them.. I like the roasted idea.. and Mum's are ALWAYS good... but Dad grows them on the stem and Mum can always cook them just so. I live away and my poor hubby just won't get them like that! Hum. Helen, Darcy & Bing

A Bun Can Dance said...

Hi Diana
When I was younger I couldn't bear to have them in my mouth! But now I really like them! Maybe it is just because they are cooked properly nowadays!
I will certainly try the roasted version ---- yummmmmm
D xx

Gina said...

I'm liking the sound of roasted sprouts!

Jackie said...

I actually love them overcooked with a lot of butter and pepper but that doesn't like me.I had a recipe for sprout and chestnut casserole. Lovely.

driftwood said...

mmmm, delicious, and now I have ANOTHER cookbook to add to wish list. xxxx

Anonymous said...

I've always loved sprouts since I was a child. My favourite way to have them is very simple - steamed. However, I haven't had them roasted before and with a huge bag of bargain sprouts, now is the time to give that a try as it sounds delicious. Last year I came upon a recipe which I never wrote down and I hope I can remember for soup. This sounded quite unappetising to me but I decided to go ahead any way and it was so yummy I made it loads and am planning to this year too. Spinach soup is also rather good so maybe I need to try broccoli soup too as I am also rather fond of that.

caireen said...

now there is an idea - we have also discovered the roasted sprout - all caramelly and chewy, even I can eat a few (I have a normal sprout limit of about 3 or 4, but N loves them!) Cx ps where have I been to have missed all these posts?