Brussels Sprouts
Suggested wine pairing: Trilateral
Want to make restaurant style Brussels sprouts at home? Crispy texture is the key. Follow these tricks and your children will be requesting Brussels sprouts for dinner too! Depending on how I am cooking (on the stove or grill) I will alter my preparation; tips for each are below. The key to our Brussels sprouts is balance of flavors and textures. Crunch and spice from nuts, creaminess from the cheese, depth of flavor from the cured meat, sweet and sour from the vinegar. Make a big batch of the Spiced nuts and they make a great snack with the TRILATERAL as well!
Serves 6
Ingredients
Brussels Sprouts:
3 cups Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar (to taste)
1/3 cupMorcilla iberico dry cured blood sausage (thinly sliced) or other cured meat
1/4 cupAleppo pepper spiced Almonds (recipe below)
2/3 cupBlue cheese crumbles
To tasteFleur de sel or sea salt
To tasteAleppo pepper or mild chili flakes
Aleppo Pepper Spiced Almonds:
Note: Egg white is used as an “adhesive” to keep the seasonings coated to the nuts
2 cups Sliced almonds
1 tablespoon Egg whites
1 teaspoon Fleur de sel or sea salt
1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper or mild chili flakes
Preparation
Almonds:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss nuts with egg whites, salt, and pepper. Coat evenly. Adjust seasoning as needed
- Lay evenly on a cookie sheet; bake in oven for approximately 7 minutes. Be sure to open oven and stir occasionally to ensure even toasting. Will keep for several weeks; enjoy on salads or as a snack!
Brussels Sprouts:
Blanch and Pan Fry (this is how we do it in the restaurant; this is my daughter’s favorite):
- Trim the base of the Brussels sprouts (discard) and cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise
- Bring a pot of water to boil; add enough salt so that it tastes like the ocean
- - Trust me; this enhances flavor and color
- Blanch (cook) Brussels sprouts in boiling water until just tender; approximately 3 minutes
- Remove from water/strain and toss some ice on them to help cool quicker; be sure to strain all water out of sprouts
- At this point you can stop the processes set aside and wait until you’re ready to cook dinner. This can be done up to one day ahead of time!
- Heat a large skillet on high heat. When skillet/pan is very hot; add 2 tablespoons of butter and
add Brussels sprouts. Tips:
- - Brussels sprouts should NOT be crowded in pan
- - Don’t stir yet; be patient. Let them pan roast; only stir when they are golden brown on one side. Then you can shake the pan or stir to get golden brown on the other side
- When they are golden and crispy; they are done; season to your liking and serve!
Grill/Skewer:
- Soak skewers in water
- Trim the Brussels and cut in half (crosswise)
- Toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt and peppes low (on a higher rack or low flamr
- Skewer the sprouts onto the skewer leaving a little bit of empty space so as to not crowd
- Place the skewers where the flame is low (on a higher rack or low flame) and cook until they start to soften slightly
- Place closer to the flame or increase flame; cook until crispy on outside
Oven Roasted:
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Trim Brussels sprouts; cut in half and encourage the leaves to fall apart
- Toss all the sprouts in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper
- Spread on a cookie sheet; leaving space so they are not cramped is key (crowding will force them to steam and they will be less crispy)
- Roast in oven for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
Variations for Seasoned Nuts as a Snack:
Be creative and mix your favorite dry seasonings with your favorite nut using what you have
- Cashews and Vadouvan (curry)
- Za’atar almonds (if you don’t have Za’atar use thyme and lemon salt)
- Chili pepitas
- Sumac pistachios (for a tangy salty twist)
- Cayenne brown sugar pecans
- BBQ seasoning peanuts
- Chinese 5-spice peanuts or cashew
Serve all items with a glass of Trilateral