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Add a photoLate fall -- the Brussels sprouts are utterly perfect, and this recipe has become my own definitive preparation. It's obviously not a very complicated recipe ingredient-wise; the whole trick is in the technique -- and that technique makes the difference between a brightly colored, crunchy, delicious, exciting vegetable and the gray-green mushy hateful Death Pods we all hated as children. I've tried to explain the concept behind each manipulation, so that the unusual steps don't seem arbitrary (and so you don't skip them, because if you do then it won't work).
This recipe was originally developed by my dear friend Barb Stuckey, and since modified slightly by me. Barb is also on CES but is unlikely to type up the recipe, because she is lazier than a basket of housecats. (Kidding!)
Ингредиенты
- Brussels sprouts - 20 (I usually figure 5 per person for a "side vegetable" sized portion)
- boiling salted walter
- ice
- butter - 4 T (or 2T butter + 2T olive oil)
- kosher salt
Инструкции
- In a large pot, combine several quarts of water with a big handful of salt. Bring to a lusty boil.
- While the water is heating, trim the sprouts: pull the sprouts off the stalk if necessary, trim off the stem , and then cut each sprout in half lengthwise.
- Prepare an ice bath: plenty of cold water in a large bowl, with enough ice that it's not melting rapidly anymore.
- Add the sprouts to the boiling water, set a timer for 2.5-3 minutes (it depends on the size of the sprouts), and clap on the lid until the boil returns (you'll have to take the lid off then).
- When the timer goes off, pour the sprouts into a strainer and then transfer them immediately into the ice bath. Swirl them around a little with your hand and let them cool for several minutes - long enough that when you remove one and hold it in your hand for a while, you no longer sense warmth. [Note: This big-pot blanching followed by rapid cooling is what helps the sprouts keep their bright green color.]
- Set up the drying pads: enough doubled paper towels to hold all the sprouts. Drain the sprouts in the strainer, and then place each sprout-half cut side down on the drying pads. They can sit like this for quite a while, so it's OK to do the blanching well in advance and then the following steps a la minute. If the sprouts are particularly wet and the paper towels get waterlogged, make a new drying pad and transfer the sprouts to that. [Note: This is critical. If the sprouts are still leaking water when you try to finish them in the pan, they'll steam and fail to caramelize.]
- A few minutes before you serve the dish, heat the butter over medium heat in a pan big enough to hold all the sprouts. When the butter has finished bubbling, place the sprouts face down in the pan.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the sprouts have developed a nice caramelized brown color on the cut surfaces. Depending on the pan, you may have to move them around a bit in order to prevent uneven browning. Salt liberally during the cooking process -- at least several large pinches, to your own taste.
- When you think you've gone too far, keep browning. You can go way further than you think with this.
- Before serving, you can dress the sprouts with toasted sesame oil or a cider vinaigrette if you like, but lately I don't bother and just pour the butter over them. These are pretty great by themselves.
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | %DV |
|---|---|
| Serving Size 39g | |
| Recipe makes 4 servings | |
| Calories 204 | |
| Calories from Fat 202 | 99% |
| Total Fat 22.93g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat 14.52g | 58% |
| Trans Fat 0.0g | |
| Cholesterol 61mg | 20% |
| Sodium 164mg | 7% |
| Potassium 23mg | 1% |
| Total Carbs 0.4g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.2g | 1% |
| Sugars 0.11g | 0% |
| Protein 0.38g | 1% |
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