Brussel Sprouts - worth it!

Some people may still hold on to some childhood Brussel Sprout trauma (think not being able to get up from the dinner table until you have eaten all of your boiled, overcooked, soggy, mushy, wholly unappetizing dark green orbs that stink to high heaven). But really and truly, recovery is possible. 

If you like greens, a little char on your sauteed veg AND BACON, well then, recovery is closer than you think! 

I always say, if you don’t like Brussel Sprouts (or any brassica - broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage) it’s because you haven’t had it cooked properly. The key to cooking this  super healthy vegetable family is to undercook it slightly, or even better, eat it raw, so that you don’t activate the iron and sulfur during the cooking process, two components that make brassicas so healthy. 

Every Thanksgiving my family checks in to make sure I WILL be making my Brussel Sprouts, which I simply chiffonade (cut each in half then slice thinly in ribbons or chiffonade) and saute with crisp, thick cut bacon. Cutting the sprouts so thin makes them cook in a few minutes.  I cut and render the bacon in a cast iron pan and cook it until it’s crispy, LEAVE the bacon fat in the pan, make sure the heat is on high and add the brussel sprouts, saute on high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Take them off the heat, hit them with a little salt and pepper and voila! Slightly charred, slightly tender yet still crip, flavorful, delicious, easy Brussel Sprouts. 

For those that are unafraid of Brussel Sprouts, this week I’m sharing a collection of 24 Brussel Sprout Recipes from Food52. If you want to expand your Brussel Sprout horizons, take a look! It’s a nice mix of cooking methods and flavor profiles. 

Happy Thanksgiving!