Not kid stuff: The rehabilitation of Brussels sprouts

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Steamed then caramelized in a warm pan, Brussels sprouts glazed with Dijon cream offer a piquant midwinter break.

Few sights could bring a wave of despair upon my childhood dinner table faster than Brussels sprouts. They were boiled, and yet somehow still chewy. They were soggy, and slimy, and smelt of unwashed socks.

Once I got control over the food that appeared on my table, Brussels sprouts were not invited.

Twenty years later, I am feeling somewhat short-sighted. Emboldened by a spate of Brussels sprouts preparations that have caught my attention, I decided to get a pound of the wee cabbage cousins and see what I could do.

I trimmed them, halved them and browned the verdant hemispheres in a little butter. Then I added some water so they’d stem to tenderness, dropped on a lid and lowered the heat.

To finish them, a dash of cream, a spoon of mustard and a pass with salt and pepper.

My 6-year-old boy asked me the other day: “Dad, when can we have Brussels sprouts again?”

I have never been so proud to be nagged.

Brussels sprouts in Dijon cream

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons butter, olive oil or bacon fat
1 teaspoon mustard, preferably Dijon
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cream, more or less

Trip and halve the sprouts. Heat the fat in a pan over medium high heat. (The pan needs a lid, and should be wide enough for the sprouts to lay in one layer.) Brown the sprouts superficially in the pan, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water, apply the lid, and turn the heat to medium low. When the sprouts are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, turn the heat back up, and add the mustard and cream. Cook until the liquid has reduced to a glaze that clings to the sprouts, and they have gotten as caramelized as you like. Apply salt and fresh ground black pepper judiciously, and serve warm.

Make more than you think you need, to accomodate all the people who will realize that they are keen on Brussels sprouts after all.

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Filed under recipes, vegetables