These recipes will change your mind about the humble Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts have never tasted so good!
Brussels sprouts with lemon, garlic and almonds
Ingredients
2 tablespoons each olive oil and lemon juice
20g butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced
800g Brussels sprouts, halved and blanched
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
½ cup (40g) flaked almonds, toasted
Method
Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes or until light golden. Add the sprouts and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, rind and almonds and toss to coat. Serves 8
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crisp Shallots and Sweet, Sour And Salty Dressing
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 gm(1 tsp) butter
350 gm Brussels sprouts (about 16), trimmed, outer leaves discarded
For shallow-trying:
olive oil
4 large golden shallots, shaved on a mandolin
1 garlic clove
4 small red chillies, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce
30 gm light palm sugar, crushed
¼ cup coarsely chopped coriander
To serve:
lime wedges
Method
Preheat oven to 190C. Heat extra-virgin olive oil and butter in an ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat, add Brussels sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until starting to brown (2-3 minutes). Transfer to oven and roast until golden and tender (12-18 minutes).
Heat 2cm of olive oil in a small saucepan over high heat, add shallot and stir until crisp (4-8 minutes), then transfer with a slotted spoon to absorbent paper to drain.
Pound garlic with a mortar and pestle, then add chillies and pound to a paste. Add fish sauce and palm sugar and pound to combine. Add to Brussels sprouts with coriander and toss to coat well. Transfer to a platter, top with shallots and serve with lime wedges.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Walnuts and Gorgonzola Cremificato Salad
Ingredients
320 gmBrussels sprouts (about 15), trimmed, outer leaves discarded
60 ml(1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
80 gmwalnuts
1witlof, thinly sliced widthways
1ripe Williams pear, very thinly sliced
1 golden shallot, shaved on a mandolin
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, torn
Juiceof 1 lemon
100 gm Gorgonzola cremificato (see note), at room temperature
Method
Thinly shave Brussels sprouts on a mandolin into a bowl of iced water to crisp (5 minutes), then drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a small frying pan over medium heat until hot, add walnuts and stir until just golden (2-3 minutes), pour into a cold heatproof bowl, set aside to cool, then coarsely chop.
Combine Brussels sprouts, witlof, pear, shallot and parsley in a bowl, add lemon juice and season to taste. Pour walnuts and oil over salad, add Gorgonzola, toss to combine, then transfer to a platter and serve.
Note Gorgonzola cremificato is available from Italian Food and other select Italian delicatessens; if it’s unavailable, substitute Gorgonzola dolcelatte or another very soft blue-vein cheese.
This recipe is from the May 2013 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller. and Donna Hay
