Brussels sprout toast.Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
When discussing Brussels sprouts, it’s important to first address the issue of spelling: It’s Brussels (capitalized or not) sprout, not “brussel sprout”, a misnomer perpetuated by restaurants and grocery stores across the country. Having first been cultivated in 13th-century Belgium (though their predecessors came from ancient Rome), they’re believed to be named after the region and capital city.
In recent years, the tiny cabbages have enjoyed culinary popularity, particularly when roasted at high temperatures, which caramelizes their exteriors while keeping their innards bright and tender.
I grew up in a Brussels-sprout hating family (ironic, as my dad immigrated to Canada from Belgium), and didn’t recognize their deliciousness until my twenties. Their repellent qualities were apparent when my friends’ parents boiled or microwaved them for an extended length of time, releasing their sulphuric odour, turning them a shade of army green-grey and rendering them soft enough to be spreadable. There is a vegetable cooking chart that made the rounds of many old cookbooks, a few of which I have in my collection. (The chart suggests: asparagus – 20 to 30 minutes, spinach – 35 to 40 minutes, celery – 30-40 minutes, cabbage – 45-60 minutes, and so on.) This may explain the tendency of past generations to overcook vegetables – perhaps they were just following the recipe.
Brussels sprouts can, of course, be eaten fresh – thinly sliced or shaved (a mandolin works well, if you’re mindful of your fingertips) for a delicious salad makes them easier on the teeth.
They also love to be roasted (or fried, which makes them particularly delicious at restaurants with fryers), and can be done on the stovetop in a skillet with similar results as in the oven: trim and halve them lengthwise, and cook them in a drizzle of oil in a hot skillet, along with a clove or three of garlic if you like, keeping them cut-side down until they turn deep golden against the heat of the pan. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, broth or water and cover with a lid or foil to help them steam through, like cooking potstickers, tossing them about if you like.
In the oven: toss with oil and roast at 425F for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of your sprouts, which varies greatly), grating over some Parmesan cheese for the last few minutes if you feel like it. Caramelized Brussels can be tossed with all kinds of delicious things – one of my favourites is 1/4 cup each fish sauce, sugar and water, with 2 Tbsp soy sauce, a pinch of chili flakes and the juice of a lime.
And you can combine the two: thinly slice or shave Brussels sprouts before roasting for crispy frizzled sprouts you can serve as-is on the side, or pile onto toast or hummus or a cheesy savoury Dutch baby. They can be tossed with pasta or noodles or perogies, added to a salad or stirred into cooked grains or mashed potatoes (colcannon-style).
Frizzled Brussels Sprouts
These frizzled sprouts are piled on toast that has been spread with whipped feta, but it could be anything – avocado, egg salad, hummus – whatever you have in the fridge. They would also be a delicious addition to a toasted piece of sourdough that has been rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, spread with peanut butter and drizzled with chili crisp.
- Brussels sprouts (as many as you’d like to cook)
- Vegetable oil (any kind – vegetable, canola, olive, peanut)
- Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
- Salt
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425F while you thinly slice your Brussels sprouts – cut them in half lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise down to the stem (which you can save and toss into soup if you like – I like adding them to puréed soups like potato or broccoli-cheese), or leave them whole and slice them thinly on a mandolin. Toss with enough oil to lightly coat, and a small splash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice if you like, and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle with salt and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally (the edges will begin to brown first), until golden and crispy. Grate over some Parmesan cheese for the last few minutes, if you like.
Serve as a side dish or pile them on toast or toss in pasta, or add them to any dish you think would benefit from crispy frizzled Brussels sprouts. Makes as many as you like.
