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Tuesday, October 19, 1999 Page: 1C
Brussels sprouts: Little packages of perfection
Brussels sprouts are petite choux, “little cabbages.” I’m sure you’ve
seen at least one grade B movie wherein the smarmy male lead nuzzles up to the
dew-eyed ingenue and addresses her as his petite chouSo, if the Romance
language-speaking countries think so highly of this vegetable: that it’s very
name is a term of endearment, what’s wrong with Americans?
I ask this because when I told people the subject of this article, I got
more than a normal amount of crinkled noses in response.
In truth, if you take a close look at a Brussels sprout, you will see it is
indeed a little package of perfection. Each individual sprout is an entire
miniature cabbage, with tightly-fitting green leaves whorled around a cream
colored core. In the garden, the sprouts develop along the center of a tall
central stalk. Some supermarkets sell the sprouts still on these stalks and
this is the best way to buy them, as sprouts pick up a strong, offensive odor
and taste when they age in storage. For tender, delicate-tasting sprouts, look
for small-sized heads with a minimum amount of loose or browning exterior
leaves. Because of the way they grow, Brussels sprouts are usually clean and
free of garden silt so preparation is uncomplicated. Just rinse them and
remove any damaged exterior leaves, then trim off the base of each. Most
cookbooks will suggest cutting a crosshatch in the base of each little head to
ensure even cooking, but I’ve found this to be an unnecessary step especially
if you use small sprouts or use them in a recipe such as the one below.
To cook Brussels sprouts, merely boil or steam them until they are just
tender. Do not overcook or you will get an unappetizing, strong-tasting mush.
Sprouts are delicious if briefly cooked and tossed with butter, salt and
pepper.
They are also an interesting addition to a crudite mixture.
Look for sprouts in the stores during October and November which are the
prime Brussels sprouts months because the vegetable is sweeter when it is
harvested after a frost.
The following recipe is one I tasted last Thanksgiving at a friend’s house.
It features quite an incongruous combination of Brussels sprouts and
artichokes, but it’s stunningly delicious. You’ll want to serve it with your
family’s feast because it can be entirely prepared in advance and then rapidly
finished off in the oven while you are carving the turkey. Just make sure you
pull it out of the refrigerator early in the day so that it is at room
temperature when it goes into the oven.
Brussels sprouts and Artichokes
1 pound Brussels sprouts, blanched and cut in half
14 marinated artichoke hearts, cut in half
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons softened butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat the over to 425 degrees. Select a baking dish that will
accommodate all the ingredients and coat it with pan spray or a minimal amount
of butter.
2. Combine the blanched sprouts and the artichokes in the baking pan and
set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and spread the mixture
evenly over the vegetables in the pan.
4. If the vegetables are at room temperature, bake only 8-10 minutes until
heated and the mixture on top becomes bubbly and light brown. Adjust cooking
time for the dish if it is put in the oven right out of the refrigerator.
Food Columnist Pat Greenfield’s column is published every other Tuesday.
She is owner and/or operator of restaurants in Exeter, Kingston and Plains
Township. Write to her in care of the Arts & Leisure Team, The Times Leader,
15 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711-0250.
