Conscious Choice: Frost-Loving Brussels Sprouts

December 2002 | Cooking with the Seasons

Frost-Loving Brussels Sprouts

by Terra Brockman

Long after every other green thing in the garden has gone to meet its maker, Brussels sprouts are still vibrant, tender, and sweet. The first mild frosts cause the plants to produce more sugars, protecting them from the harder frosts to come. The extra sugars also increase the sweetness and tenderness of the sprouts, meaning, if possible, that you should only buy sprouts that have been exposed to frost. I’m not sure if puréed Brussels sprouts would work in your car’s radiator, but they do have some high-powered anti-freeze running through them!

If you live in the Midwest, you can find lovely frost-sweetened sprouts at farmers’ markets and in Community Supported Agriculture (commonly known as CSAs) shares — or even in your own backyard garden, where they may be harvested clear through the end of December. I remember a year when we had to crunch our way through a layer of ice when harvesting the last sprouts. And they were delicious!

If you buy your produce at regular grocery stores, however, the sprouts may look terrific but taste blah or bitter. There are a number of reasons for this — but most important is the simple fact that 85 percent of the 70 million pounds of Brussels sprouts grown in the United States come from the northern coast of California, where it is cool, but seldom freezing. These shipped-in sprouts also lose flavor during transport and the time they sit on the shelves. Other reasons for flavor-challenged sprouts include the fact that some varieties are grown for looks or transport heartiness.

Brussels sprouts are a member of the vast crucifer family that includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage. Each sprout is an elegant miniature cabbage — so elegant and refined that they were ordered for two wedding feasts of the Burgundian court in the 15th century.

The Brussels sprout plant is as comical as the sprouts are elegant. From a thick central stalk three to four feet tall, big collard-like leaves grow in a spiral along the stem. At the base of each leaf petiole is a sprout. The tight rosettes encrust the thick stalk of the plant and are shaded by a high top plume of leaves. Each stem produces 80 to 100 sprouts, yielding only two to three pounds per plant.

Commercial growers whack off the plant at the base and feed it into a machine that removes the sprouts from the stalk. They are then sorted, with the best ones going to frozen food manufacturers and the rest going to the fresh market. Small growers harvest each little sprout by hand, taking the ones that are just the right size at each harvest and harvesting the plants over a period of four weeks or more in the fall. This is very labor-intensive process, but you really can taste the difference.

I am an unabashed fan of Brussels sprouts, but I also know why most people despise them. Like their cousins cabbage and kale, when they are not fresh and/or when they are overcooked, they stink! This is why it is so important to get fresh sprouts and to cook them just the right amount of time. Light cooking also means you get the full complement of nutrients that the sprouts have to offer. Brussels sprouts are a very good source of many essential vitamins, fiber, and folate. They are especially high in Vitamin C. Along with their cruciferous cousins, sprouts have been shown to have some very beneficial effects against certain types of cancer, as they contain many different phytochemicals that are believed to help prevent the disease.

Traditionally, sprouts are served with meat and are wonderful mixed with the juices of beef, lamb, game, or poultry. A typical holiday goose or turkey is often served with Brussels sprouts embellished with chestnuts. But sprouts are wonderful on their own, flavored with a little butter, olive oil, or soy sauce. Many cookbooks instruct you to carve a tiny x into the base of each sprout, but if the sprouts are fresh and small, this is unnecessary. You can also simply slice them in half. They cook more evenly, and to my mind, look better in halves.

Basic Brussels Sprouts

1 pint (about 10 ounces) Brussels sprouts

2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1. Pull off any loose or yellow leaves. Trim bases flush with bud. Keep sprouts whole if smaller than one inch. If larger, halve or quarter lengthwise.

2. Place in a steamer rack in a saucepan, or simply place in two inches of water in a saucepan. Add a pinch of salt if you want the sprouts to be bright green when cooked. Boil or steam until just tender — five to ten minutes depending on size.

3. Drain and wrap in a towel to dry. Toss with butter or olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Marinated Brussels Sprouts

3/4 to 1 pound Brussels sprouts

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 crushed clove of garlic

cayenne pepper to taste

1. Trim the sprouts of any old-looking or loose leaves. Slice in half and steam until tender.

2. Whisk the oil, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne in a bowl. Cover the sprouts with the dressing while they are still warm. Store them in the refrigerator overnight, and then serve at room temperature. A few toasted walnuts scattered on top add a festive touch.

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts

1 pound Brussels sprouts

3/4 cup chestnuts (fresh roasted or canned)

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Bring two quarts of water and one teaspoon of salt to a boil.

2. If fresh chestnuts are used, shell with a paring knife and toast on a cookie sheet in the oven until the meat pulls from the shell. Remove the shell and skin. If canned chestnuts are used, drain and dry them.

3. Trim any yellow or old-looking leaves from the Brussels sprouts. Cut each in half and drop them in the boiling salted water and cook until they are fork tender. Drain the sprouts and drop into ice water to cool.

4. Add the maple syrup to a 10- or 12-inch sauté pan and warm. Add the Brussels sprouts and bring to a boil. Quickly add the chestnuts and stir in the butter. The syrup and butter will thicken and glaze the sprouts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Brussels Sprouts with Ginger and Sesame

1 pint small or medium Brussels sprouts (about 10 ounces)

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon dry sherry or vermouth

1 Tablespoon peanut oil

1 Tablespoon minced ginger

1. Trim bases of Brussels sprouts and remove any yellowing or loose leaves. Halve sprouts lengthwise. Soak in lukewarm water for about 15 minutes.

2. Drain sprouts. Drop into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook over high heat until just tender throughout, about four minutes.

3. Meanwhile, stir sesame seeds in a heavy skillet (large enough to hold sprouts in a single layer) over moderate heat until evenly tan, a minute or two. Pour onto a plate.

4. Heat oil in same skillet, add ginger, and stir over moderate heat until lightly colored.

5. Drain sprouts well. Spread on a towel.

6. Stir together honey, salt, and sherry.

7. Add sprouts to ginger and oil in skillet and toss to coat. Add sherry mixture and toss gently about a minute.

8. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serves two.

Terra Brockman is the director of The Land Connection Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving farmland and promoting small-scale, diversified, organic agriculture in Illinois. Visit www.thelandconnection.org or call 309-965-2407 to learn how to get involved.

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