Don’t give up on brussels sprouts yet!
shaved brussel sprouts with white jasmine rice
They have a bad reputation, and I must say I have never been a big fun of the brussels sprout; that is until recently. Before I discovered this great recipe, I always thought these cruciferous flowers tasted bad: they’re always undercooked or overcooked; sometimes they’ve a funny, unpleasant sulfur or mangrovy smell; they look weird, too, like unappetizing stunted artichokes…yuch! Plus I tend to associate the b-sprout with American holidays like Thanksgiving. I always overeat, often on dull “traditional” foods, feel lethargic, get blue with homesickness and feel cold in the gloom of winter. I guess I’ve mistakenly elected the poor BS as my escape goat.
The odd thing is that except for brussel sprouts, I adore most of the other members of the cruciferous family. I enjoy cabbage, broccoli, rapini (AKA broccoli rabe), kale, and collard greens. We eat these healthy plants at least twice or three times a week, sometimes even more! These vegetables help prevent cancer, have anti-oxidants, and lots of vitamins. Finally, I’ve discovered a way to make the brussel sprout a food to savor rather than to just grudgingly tolerate.
fresh brussel sprouts should be firm without wilting
This recipe makes the sprouts taste sweeter. Serve it as a side dish. I enjoy eating it with rice and beans. Recently we had it with my Brazilian bacalhoada.
Shaved Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients:
1 lb fresh brussels sprounts
3 cloves garlic cut into slivers
1 Serrano chili cut into strips; stem, seeds and ribs removed
3 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp water
How to:
Get your mandolin ready to use. Adjust blade setting to thin. Pass brussels sprouts through mandolin. Unfortunately this is not as good with the food processor because the slices are too thick. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add garlic and Serrano chili. Cook till fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shaved brussels sprouts, salt and stir. Add water and cook covered for about 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally or till soft. Adjust salt, add black pepper and serve.
shaving the sprouts is the secret for this dish
sauteing the sprouts