Curried Brussels Sprouts

Curried Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are possibly my favorite vegetable and I am always looking for new ways to prepare them. Last night, I was searching for something that went with the scotch eggs from Well Fed. When I was making this dish, I added my own spice mix, but if you are feeling tired and do not have all of the ingredients, you can always use yellow curry powder.

When I was making this dish, I caramelized some onions create a depth of flavor and add sweetness to the dish.  Caramelizing onions properly takes about 45 minutes of sauteing over low heat. If you want to skip this step, I would add tbs of anchovy paste along with the spices and then add 1 tbs of honey to the dish at the end of cooking.

Curried Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

3 tbs olive oil or coconut oil

1 lbs fresh brussels sprouts halved lengthwise or 1 lb frozen petite brussels sprouts

1 medium sweet onion sliced lengthwise

1 tsp grated ginger

3 garlic cloves minced

1/4 tsp mustard seeds or 1 tsp whole-grain mustard

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground tumeric

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp smoked paprika, if you do not have this use paprika

1/2  tsp chili powder, preferable chipotle

zest from one lime

juice from one lime

1 tsp kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbs oil.  When heated add the brussels sprouts cut side down and cook for 5 minutes or until the
   

   Image via wikipedia

   brussels sprouts are browned. If you are using frozen sprouts, rotate them while cooking and cook for 10 minutes or until browned. Remove the browned sprouts to a waiting vessel.

2. Turn the heat down to medium low and caramelize the onions. This process should take 30 – 50 minutes with you stirring every five minutes.  If the onions look like they are going to burn, add more oil and reduce the heat. The resulting onions should taste sweet and have a deep caramel color.
3. When the onions are caramelized, add the oil and then raise the heat to medium. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
4. Add the spices to the oil and stir into the onions.  Saute the spices until fragrant, about another 30 seconds.
5. Add the brussels sprouts and stir to coat.
6. Turn off the heat and add the lime.

You can also prepare the elements of this dish ahead of time, refrigerate, and then reheat in a skillet right before dinner. If you desire, you can also add a fresh tomato to this dish and saute it along with the spices until the juice has thickened.

Onion image via wikipedia.

Roasted Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, and/or Cauliflower

Crunchy, cancer fighting cruciferous vegetables are a staple  in my home.  Packed with vitamins and verdant, they brighten the table and your nutritional profile. As a child, and I admit it right now, I pretended they were trees and I was a giant devouring them.

Brassicaceae (also called Cruciferae) are a family of vegetables that includes cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens, rutabaga, bok choy, and cabbage.  These delicious veggies are high in soluble fiber, vitamin C, and are known to contain multiple kinds of phytochemicals that have anticancer properties. They also contain glucosinolates, which, even though there is evidence these compounds fight cancer, contain sulphur and  have bitter taste if overcooked. They can be especially bitter to supertasters.  One way to reduce the bitterness is to add salt and intensify the natural sugars already in the plants. The dry heat of the over is the best place to do this.

Making a delicious vegetable dish couldn’t be simpler than this recipe. It can be done with fresh or frozen vegetables. If you are making this with fresh brussels sprouts, make sure you split them in half but cutting through the center of the stem before roasting.  If you are using frozen brussels sprouts, this recipe works best with the petite type.

Roasting give the veggies a smoky sweetness that even ardent haters can embrace.  My sister  tells me that she hates Brussels sprouts except when I cook them.

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place the rack in the top third of the oven.

2) Place vegetables in a half sheet pan on a jellyroll pan. I usually cover mine with foil for easy clean up.

2) Cover the vegetables in extra virgin olive oil – the more oil the better! Make sure you get a good quality and not the cheap store brand.

3) Sprinkle on a little bit more kosher salt than you think you will need.

4.) Bake for 15 minutes, check and turn, and then back for 10 minutes more. You know that they are done when the edges are crispy brown.

5) Season with pepper to taste and enjoy!

I usually pop these in the oven right after I get home so I let the meat from the slow cooker rest and start on a the sauce.

I have used leftover roasted veggies in salads with spinach, roasted walnuts, and goat cheese.  I have also roast veggies before I cover them in cheese sauce, put them in a crustless quiche or fritatta, or puree them.  You can also add herbs de provenance for another fresh kick of flavor.