Rethinking Brussels Sprouts

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You may have noticed in recent years roasted Brussels Sprouts are on the menu at just about every bistro, brewpub or tavern style restaurant as a very popular side dish. At home, we usually roast sprouts as well and they are great. We simply toss them in olive oil, garlic, shallots and sea salt. Yum. It seems this is the only acceptable way to cook them these days and sadly, most restaurants coat them with a glaze or dressing that often has a lot of sugar. Not great. If the subject ever comes up, you will invariably hear people recounting how horrible sprouts were when they were kids because they were over-boiled until mushy and "sulphury". This is understandable. However, in the spirit of adventure and confirming or debunking old food memories, I embarked on a grand experiment. The results left me shocked and stunned. I have no idea why I even did this but felt compelled to share this odd endeavor with you all. Here's what I did and for the brave souls that crave the uncharted side-dish voyage, I hope you enjoy and I suspect some of you will be pleasantly surprised.

How to Make The Boiled Sprout Shine Again

• Trim the ends off a dozen Brussels Sprouts.

• Cut in half and add to a small stock pot with a teaspoon of sea salt, cover with water and simmer on medium heat until very tender but not completely obliterated.

• Drain and immediately return sprouts to the pot adding a generous pat of unsalted butter.

• Stir gently off the heat until butter is melted and coats the sprouts completely.

• Add ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese, a ½ cup of chopped black olives, 

• Half a small red bell pepper, finely diced,

• One scallion finely diced,

• Add ½ cup of dry roasted pistachio nuts, slightly crushed in a mortar and pestle

• Finish with some good cracks of fresh ground black pepper.

• Stir gently to incorporate everything.

• You can finish with a little Maldon sea salt and a small drizzle of olive oil if desired.

• Portion out into six even servings in medium size ramekins.

• For substitutions, you can use cotija, ricotta salata or shaved parmesan cheese and crushed, dry roasted almonds or toasted pepitas if you prefer.

It's really about hitting the sprouts with layers of umami and various textures.

Does it really seem that weird and wrong? 

Call me crazy but I think I may have stumbled across something big that may take the culinary world by storm.

Either that or I'll just be canceled by the militant crucifer police and my recipe will vanish into the multiverse.............

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Boiled and Beautiful Brussel Sprouts

Yield: 6

Author: Geoff Marx

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Don’t be afraid of boiling. Don’t be afraid of the dark or spiders. Have courage and live the life you always dreamed of…… and make this recipe tomorrow.

Ingredients

• 12 Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• ½ cup Feta cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup black olives, chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• ½ cup dry roasted pistachios, slightly crushed in a mortar and pestle
• 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Simmer Brussels with sea salt on medium heat until very tender
2. Drain and immediately return to pot adding the pat of butter
3. Gently stir to melt butter so that the sprouts are nicely coated
4. Add cheese and stir in gently
5. Add olives, peppers and scallion, stirring lovingly
6. Add pistachios
7. Add the black pepper
8. Stir so everything is well distributed
9. Serve even portions in nice ramekins
10. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on each portion
11. Finish each with a light sprinkle of Maldon sea salt
12. Congratulations
13. You get an A-

Nutrition Facts

Calories

155.15

Fat (grams)

12.42 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

3.87 g

Carbs (grams)

7.89 g

Fiber (grams)

3.13 g

Net carbs

4.76 g

Sugar (grams)

2.16 g

Protein (grams)

5.42 g

Sodium (milligrams)

1491.35 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

16.14 mg

Marx Culinary