Brussels sprouts?

[IcyPeas]

Poll question: Brussels sprouts?

Love 'em or hate 'em? I like them steamed with butter and salt and pepper. A coworker boils them sautes onion and puts butter and MAPLE SUGAR on them. To me that's blasphemy. I would never boil them or use frozen ones - they get too soggy. IMHO

what about you?


:loveya: ??

:puke: ??

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Brussels sprouts are the vegetable of Satan.

My mom tried to make me eat them when I was a kid. "They're good for you," she said. "Ewww!" I said. I tried to eat some recently to see if maybe my attitude had changed. It hadn't. They're still awful.

[TorchTheWitch]

18. I always said they're a product of witchcraft

They ain't food. Nothing that looks like that or smells like that or tastes like that can possibly be considered food.

[MorningGlow]

41. My aunt threw half of one into my plate yesterday

"TRY ONE! THEY'RE GREAT!"

Now, she's a crappy cook for just about anything, so I don't think she worked magic with the little potential dustballs. I'm not proud to report that my survival instinct kicked in; before I knew what I was doing I shouted "Ew!", picked it up, and tossed it into Mr. MG's plate. He promptly tried to toss it back, and it ended up in MG Jr's plate. He didn't eat it either. We are a Brussels-sprouts-free family.

[Recovered Repug]

54. When I was a kid,

I was convinced that my mother would make them to punish my brothers and me.

[IDemo]

2. They're on the menu today

Along with pork roast and sweet potatoes. German mustard does wonders for them.

[blueamy66]

3. Love em

saute them in EVOO and then add honey right before they are done...some salt too....delicious!!!!

[Paladin]

4. We love 'em.

Particularly if we can buy them while they're fresh and still on the stalk. No fancy prep---just boiled in lightly salted water, then served with butter. Good stuff.....

[woo me with science]

5. I like them with just butter and salt.

However, if you are worried about guests who don't like vegetables, you rarely will go wrong sauteing them in butter with a little fine-chopped bacon and onion.

[HopeHoops]

6. I've got six plants loaded with them in the garden. We steam them usually.

They're good steamed with just a squeeze of fresh lemon, but I also use them in stir fries and casseroles. Boiling destroys them.

[IcyPeas]

20. I have to try a bit of lemon. sounds good!

[Dr Morbius]

7. A great vegetable, great in a variety of ways.

But with butter and (a wee bit of) salt alone, that's my preference.

[Graybeard]

8. My favorite veggie.

These little critters are just bursting with flavor. Cooked any way is fine with me. Roasted, steamed, pan sauted. I usually don't add anything other than salt & pepper.

[IcyPeas]

19. oh yes. roasted are great too.

[HipChick]

9. I have 5lbs of them..steamed,buttered and salted

love ém

[IcyPeas]

21. YES!!!!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Wow, there must be something wrong with me

because I think they smell and taste like rotting garbage. And I sincerely tried to like them, even tried roasting them with olive oil (my mom boiled them; that was awful). To me they taste bitter and kind of decayed. Maybe if I smothered them with melted cheese?

[noamnety]

28. Nothing wrong with you (or me), it's a genetic thing - like cilantro.

"I don’t like brussels sprouts. Who knew it was genetic? But I have the snippet of DNA that gives me the ability to taste a compound that makes many vegetables taste bitter. I differ from people who are blind to bitter taste — who actually like brussels sprouts — by a single spelling change in our four-letter genetic alphabet: somewhere on human chromosome 7, I have a G where they have a C."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/17/us/17dna.html

I can't eat them. I used to think I'd grow out of it, but now I know it's because the people who like them are missing the gene that lets them know what they REALLY taste like.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

30. That's interesting.

Oddly, I do like cilantro.

[kimi]

11. I found a recipe last night

for caramelizing them and topping them with hazelnut butter. It looked and sounded so good that I sent my son to the store at 9 PM for more brussel sprouts and some hazelnuts.

I can't wait to try it!

[mandy11]

12. I really tried to like them, but they taste like rotting garbage.

[Graybeard]

13. Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Steamed with a little butter, salt, and pepper just like you.

Mixed in with stir fry sounds interesting, I haven't thought about that. Next time.

[IcyPeas]

22. that reminds me Re; stir fry...

I haven't tried it but I saw on one of those cooking shows - they separated all the leaves and threw them into a stir fry - that way they'd cook up much quicker than if you put the entire sprout in or even cutting in two.

[Enthusiast]

15. Roasted fresh are best.

We like them frozen too. Add some olive oil.

[Skittles]

16. roasted with walnuts

yes INDEED

[IcyPeas]

23. yum - I like the walnut idea.

[Kali]

17. mmmm with butter, salt, and GARLIC POWDER

:9

[elleng]

24. On menu for Day After Thanksgiving:

Should prepare this evening.

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts

1/4 cup olive oil

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon (or 10 grinds) black pepper

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)


Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.


2. To prepare the brussels sprouts, remove any yellow or brown outer leaves, cut off the stems and cut in half.


3. In a large bowl, toss the brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt and pepper together. Once all of the brussels sprouts are coated in oil, spread them into a 9-by-13-inch (or larger) baking dish or sheet tray to roast. Note: You may want to line your sheet tray with foil for easy cleanup because the caramelizing process leaves a sticky residue.


4. After 15 minutes, stir the brussels sprouts with a spatula or large spoon to even out the browning. After 30 minutes, stir in the maple syrup. (Steps 1 through 4 can be done a day in advance; store covered in the refrigerator. Continue with Steps 5 and 6 right before serving.)


5. Continue to roast the brussels sprouts for about 15 more minutes, or until they are fork tender (about 45 minutes total roasting time).


6. Toss the roasted brussels sprouts with the hazelnuts and devour!


Yield: Serves 6.

[Moondog]

25. Roasted, steamed, just not boiled.

Tasty little buggers.

[Chan790]

26. I have the best BS recipe on Earth.

Chang-Style Brussels Sprouts (from Momofuku Restaurant executive chef David Chang, as reported by GQ)
http://www.gq.com/blogs/the-q/2009/11/the-book-on-david-chang.html
(I also own the cookbook reviewed in this article, not terribly-veg friendly but one of the best I own nonetheless. (and I'm a great vegetarian recipe adapter.))

Serves 4

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon
Butter (optional)
Sriracha hot sauce
Lime
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. With a knife, trim the hard, woody ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise through the core.

3. Cut the bacon into small chunks and cook in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat till crispy, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

4. Drain most of the fat from the pan and add the sprouts, cut-side down. Raise the heat to medium high and sear until the sprouts begin to sizzle. Put the skillet in the oven and roast until the sprouts are deeply browned, 8 minutes or so, then shake the pan to redistribute them and ?ip them over. Pull the pan from the oven when the sprouts are bright green and fairly tender (taste one to check), about 10 minutes more, depending on how large they are.

5. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat. Stir in the bacon and, if you want, a pat or two of butter. Swirl till incorporated.

6. Place in a bowl. Add a few squirts of sriracha hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it, and a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve with anything.

* For Thanksgiving, toss a pound of sliced sprouts in a large bowl with 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a bit of salt. Place them cut-side down on baking trays and roast them in a 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until tender. Remove, and return them to the bowl. Toss with fresh lemon juice and toasted slivered almonds, or season as you would in the main recipe. Serve hot.

[PassingFair]

27. Stir-fried with butter, garlic and lemon juice, then broiled...

with Parmesan cheese.

The best.

[madinmaryland]

29. Definitely puke-worthy...

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[BlueJazz]

31. Little bit of oil in hot pan.....serve with butter and pepper/salt

[Sanity Claws]

32. Boiled lightly with salt and maybe butter

I bring the water to boil and then put the sprouts in the boiling water for about three minutes. Don't overcook them; it makes them bitter and soggy.

I always hated them until I learned this trick of cooking them lightly.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

33. I bet you don't eat boiled okra, either.

[nolabear]

34. Pan roasted with pine nuts.

Yummers.

[txwhitedove]

35. Baby cabbages! Steamed with butter, salt and lemon-pepper.

Now I want to grow some.

[Irishonly]

36. Steamed

We had them today. Sometimes I will make a Hollandaise sauce.

[Kat45]

37. I recently had Buffalo fried brussels sprouts with blue cheese dressing

in a restaurant. They were delicious.

[Rowdyboy]

38. Vegetables are like sex....the worst I ever had was really pretty good....

Brussels sprouts are no exception

[Quantess]

39. I cook them in water with a cube of bouillon

and I eat them just like that, no butter, but maybe a little salt. It's diet food.

[KC]

40. Love them

with just a little butter and salt

[tilsammans]

42. Love 'em steamed, then topped with a little Dijon mustard

Yummy! :loveya:

[whistler162]

43. Evil.....

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1027698/

[IcyPeas]

49. whistler162 . . .

:rofl:

:rofl:

:rofl:

:rofl:

[petronius]

44. Delicious! Just steamed, and seved with a bit of butter and pepper...

:9

[ccharles000]

45. they are meh

[GoCubsGo]

46. Depends on how they're cooked.

My grandma used to boil the snot out of them. Overcooking them makes them bitter. I was able to tolerate them as a kid--until I got the flu just as I had eaten some of my grandma's sprouts. Couldn't eat them for years after that. Eventually, I tried some that were properly cooked, and realized that I really like them when they're not overcooked. Fresh Brussels sprouts are great, but I don't care much for the frozen kind--except for the Steamfresh ones. Those are pretty good.

[KT2000]

47. Newman's Ceasar Dressing

on them after steaming.
Another good dressing on brussel sprouts is Feast from the East Sesame Dressing - fabulous!

Just a drop is all you need.
My country store sells brussel sprouts on the stalk. Very fresh.

[alfredo]

48. Roasted, Steamed, Boiled, saute, grilled.

Salt, pepper, butter, or Balsamic vinegar work well on Brussels Sprouts.

Treat them like cabbages. I put them in vegetable soups. Don't overcook. If you do it releases some of its sulfur.


It is such a nutritious food I would suggest trying it again. Steaming is really good. I slice through the stem so it will cook faster. You can cut them in half, but they tend to fall apart.

Steam them and season as you wish. Salt is important because it cuts what bitterness remaining in the little cabbage. Real butter is delicious. Pepper makes it even better. You don't want to cook them to the consistency of a Artichoke heart. You want to feel some resistance.


Broccoli steamed then seasoned with lemon juice is a real revelation.

[FedUpWithIt All]

50. Cut in half cut side down to brown in a pan with...

fresh butter, garlic, a splash of lemon and Romano cheese sprinkled over.

[YankeyMCC]

51. Roasted with

walnuts, shallots, rosemary, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

[MissHoneychurch]

52. I recently tried them again

and I can definitely say :puke:

[Arkansas Granny]

53. Love 'em. I like them best steamed with a little butter, salt and pepper.

I sometimes halve them and use them in veggie soup as a replacement for cabbage. They look and taste great and it makes it easy for those who don't like cabbage to avoid them.

[A Simple Game]

55. I like them in a cheese sauce. But

I recently had them in a beef stew. They were great. I had never heard of this before. The cook was Canadian so maybe it is a Canadian thing.

[Maine-ah]

56. eeeevvvviiillllll

just like lima beans (shudders)...