I can't say I never liked them as a kid, because my mom never made them for us growing up. But when I hear how much people dislike them usually they are referring to boiled brussel sprouts which, I'll admit, ARE pretty nasty. They get all pale and devoid of flavor.
My favorite way so far that I have enjoyed brussel sprouts has been by roasting them. The recipe couldn't be any simpler. Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast them at 350°/400°, and presto! They are flaky, crispy and especially delicious doused in butter.
Its about time that I venture into other ways of cooking these little green bundles. And so I found myself digging around on Deb's food blog called Smitten Kitchen. Her photos are fabulous, and I couldn't resist this recipe after seeing them.
The Good
- Pleasing texture (al dente)
- Subtle mustard flavor
- No burnt flavor
- Novelty
The Bad
- Needs more flavor
Overall - 4/5
My dad and brother really dug this recipe (perhaps because all they had to do was set the table), and I enjoyed the recipe as well. If for nothing else, it's novelty was appealing. I liked simmering the sprouts which allowed them to soak up the chicken stock and white wine. Once they were done they were very tender, but unlike when they are boiled they still retained their flavor and structure. They were al dente, and I liked that.
But the flavor left me wanting a bit more. More mustard, more butter, maybe both? I'm not sure. I'll definitely use this process of "browning" the sprouts then simmering in chicken stock, because I liked the texture. But I would probably try to tweak this recipe if I made it again.
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