Thursday, December 15, 2005

Best Brussels Sprouts

The name says it all! These sweet-and-sour sprouts are wonderful hot or at room temperature.

serves 4

1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts, cleaned, trimmed, and cut in half
2 TB olive oil (or 1 TB olive oil and 1 TB margarine)
salt to taste
¾ cup vegetable stock or water
2 TB sugar
2 TB apple cider vinegar
freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Heat the oil or oil and margarine in a sauté pan or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the Brussels sprouts and sprinkle with salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are turning golden, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add ½ cup of the stock or water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered with a lid left slightly ajar, until the Brussels sprouts are almost completely tender and the stock or water has been cooked away, about 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and add the last ¼ cup of stock or water, the sugar, and the apple cider vinegar. Cook at a lively simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to a syrup, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and season with pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature.

29 comments:

a said...

I made these and my mom kept eating them out of the pan before they were finished. Mmm, very good. I ate them with chopsticks. It felt right.

Jennifershmoo said...

Thanks for the reviews! I think granulated maple sugar would work wonderfully. It's so expensive, but YUM!

Anonymous said...

i'm so glad i discovered your site and this recipe - it was fabulous! i used only half the sugar, used raw brown sugar and it was fabulous! i'm looking forward to when your shmoo goes back to school and you resume posting.

Anonymous said...

Just discovered your site (via Ali Edwards---be warned, I'm sure your site will be overloaded today!)
and feel like I won the jackpot!
Love the visuals---that does so much to motivate me to cook well for my son.
And none of eat brussel sprouts---but we are gonna try this one.
Last question: how do you deal with one member of the family (namely the DAD) being resistant? Do you cook two meals? I'm trying to not push at my household, but worry about the example our son is absorbing.
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Tell him to not be such a baby about eating the kind of food that will keep him and his family alive and healthy. I am a dad in my family and my wife discovered this site. I have to say that after some initial skepticism I have been pleased by nearly everything that has shown up in my lunch/at the dinner table.. easily better than my previous 'meat and potatoes' meal variety. And you know, even if you don't like everything on your plate, as a dad you have to suck it up and do the right thing, set an example your kids can live by.

Jennifershmoo said...

It's the opposite at our house: Little shmoo will be sitting there eating a giant serving of steamed veggies while hubby is boycotting the entire meal and eating a bag of potato chips. He is...resistant.

Anonymous said...

This is a great recipe! I haven't eaten brussel sprouts in years but I'm definitely making them this way again.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe! It's the first time I ever prepared fresh brussel sprouts and they were absolutely delicious. No more frozen sprouts for me!

e-rex the vegan dinosaur said...

these were my first attempt cookin' the b. sprouts. very good! the gf and i chowed them down!

Anonymous said...

I found some great-looking organic Brussels sprouts at the co-op yesterday and then just happened upon your recipe. I made it tonight and loved it. I couldn't entice my two-year-old to try it, which just meant more for me! This recipe is true to its name. :)

Anonymous said...

Tonight is my second time making these. They're delicious! My daughter LOVES them, but she usually like brussel sprouts. My dad came over. I made him try one and he kept eating them out of the pan, saying he didn't even like brussel sprouts. Can't wait till my husband gets home to try them. Is this the same way you cook the ones in Scmoo's lunch box?

Jennifershmoo said...

So glad you like them!

>>Is this the same way you cook the ones in Scmoo's lunch box?

Not usually -- he's such a Brussels sprouts fiend I just cook them until tender and he gobbles them up. But we love this recipe for holidays and special occasions.

Anonymous said...

Bitter nasty foul mini-cabbage no more! These were delish!! We made them for Thanksgiving, and everyone loved them. I suggest serving them as soon as they are done, so that they stay as bright green as possible.

Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

you have made me a brussels sprouts lover. so yummy.

Anonymous said...

>>>I just cook them until tender

Er, boil? Steam? So far, my daughter will only eat them raw, so I'm inordinately curious ...

Thank you for all your wonderful recipes and sharing!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the recipe! I just found this on Google, after going vegetarian a couple weeks ago and buying some brussel sprouts the other day just for the heck of it and realizing a couple of hours ago that I had no idea how to prepare them. I put extra vinegar on them because I love vinegar, but overall THANK YOU, very good--much better than plain!

Anonymous said...

This was my first experience with Brussels sprouts, and they are absolutely delicious. Another easy vegetable to add to the weekly menu is always a plus.

cristene23 said...

i love this site! need to cook better for my veggie girl! how can i get a copy of the book? and how do i find the new one when it comes out? thank you thank you thank you

Shelley said...

These sound out of this world! I'm making them tonight! :)

Sara said...

This recipe is fantastic. I cut down on the amount of sugar and increased the amount of vinegar because I love tangy foods. I also put it over red quinoa which made for a colorful and flavorful dish. Next time I am thinking of using this technique and adding other veggies (maybe carrots or onions or peppers?) Mmmmm...thanks for posting this recipe!

Unknown said...

why would you add sugar to brussel sprouts? contary to what it tastes like, there really is a lot of sugar already in a single serving. check for yourself on any online calorie counter...

Jennifershmoo said...

Because it tastes good, why else?

Anonymous said...

so weird
I'm reading Elyse Sewell's blog
run up on these various brussels sprouts recipes
(weirder still that just this very day earlier I had been wishing for some interesting new ways to make them)
and saw the link to yours
sounds delish...will try it!
thanx
Tracy

Anonymous said...

I came across your recipe having never made fresh brussel sprouts. This was so easy and so tasty. The whole family enjoyed it. I can't wait to make it again. thanks.

Lady Annick said...

I am a bit of a Brussels Sprouts expert :-) Living in Belgium meant Brussels Sprouts were served weekly and I absolutely loathed them. My mum managed to turn them into a soggy mess. After I moved out the little buggers did NOT appear on my table for over a decade. I could not even stand the smell of them. A few years ago I was invited for a meal and was served ... Brussels Sprouts and ... I absolutely loved them! Since them I have been on a 'hunt' for really good recipes, and I am glad to say yours really is one of them! Sooo good!!
(ps is it OK if I add it too my Brussel Sprouts blog ?)

Jennifershmoo said...

Thanks, Anyk! I'm glad even a Brussel Sprouts expert enjoys my dish!

>>(ps is it OK if I add it too my Brussel Sprouts blog ?)

Please indicate that the recipe is by Jennifer McCann, author of Vegan Lunch Box, and include a link to my blog. Thanks!

Unknown said...

this recipe changed my brussel sprouts world - you rock!

Unknown said...

First brussel sprout recipe done ever, I am usually a cabbage girl, but this was awesome and even my carnivore hubby who double-checks all new veggie dishes, enjoyed it. My 5- and one-year-old liked it too. Thank you for a new recipe to add to my budding vegan recipe list.

Peace,

Patrina

Unknown said...

Very good recipe!

I added some pine nuts, they give some nice texture. They are a very good match.

Here is where I found a recipe with Pine Nuts:

roasted brussel sprouts