Biltongmakers.Com-Newsletter for January 2005

When we were with Lo and June over Christmas in Belgium,I had the unenviable job of preparing the Brussels sprouts to go with June's wonderful Beef Wellington

that she prepared for our Christmas lunch.
I was merrily cutting crosses in the bottom of the sprouts when we asked ourselves why we did this? No-one could come up with the answer although both Peter and myself said that this was something we had always just done!! So, I decided to investigate this humble vegetable and found out more than I was expecting to. The following information was put together from various web pages I came across:-

Brussels sprouts, what an odd name for a vegetable that has the appearance of a "cute little baby" cabbage. No one seems to know where Brussels sprouts originated

but it is assumed they came from Belgium where Brussels is the capital city. In parts of Europe they are also known as "Brussels cabbage", which seems appropriate since they are a subspecies of the common cabbage.

Like cabbage and cabbage sprouts,
Brussels sprouts are a cool weather crop. They should be harvested when the sprouts are small, compact and bright green.
Avoid yellowing sprouts with signs of wilt rot or insect damage. Harvest sprouts when they are no larger than 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. The fresher the sprouts, the better the flavor, so refrigerator storage should not exceed a day or two.

Remove any damaged or irregular outer leaves and store fresh unwashed sprouts in plastic bags in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator.

PREPARATION

The key to cooking Brussels sprouts is in not overcooking them. Before cooking, drop the sprouts into a basin of lukewarm water and leave them there for 10 minutes

as this step will eliminate any insects hidden in the leaves. Then rinse the sprouts in fresh water. Trim the stem ends, but not quite flush with the bottoms of the sprouts, or the outer leaves will fall off during cooking. The leaves cook faster than the core, so cut an X in the bottom of the stem for even cooking when cooking the sprouts whole (ah ha!! so that’s the reason!!!). As a rule, when Brussels sprouts have lost the bright green color, they are overcooked and have lost a considerable amount of nutritional value as well. Depending on size, cooking time should not exceed 7 to 10 minutes whether you are steaming, braising or boiling. Select sprouts of even size for uniform cooking. Large sprouts should be cut in half.

Boiling:

Use 1 cup of water for every cup of Brussels sprouts. Bring the water to a rapid boil in a large pot, add the sprouts,and quickly return the water to a boil. Cook the

sprouts uncovered just until tender. Drain them, return them to the warm pot, and shake for a few seconds until dry. A little parsley added to the cooking water can reduce the cabbage flavor. Cooking time: seven to 10 minutes.

Braising:

If you cook sprouts slowly in stock, you can reduce the liquid after the vegetable is done and use it as a sauce, thereby conserving nutrients.

You can braise the sprouts on the stovetop in a heavy covered skillet, or in the oven. For oven-braising, place the sprouts in a casserole or baking dish and pour in enough stock to cover them. Cover and bake in a 350°F oven. Cooking time: 25 to 35 minutes.

Microwaving:

Place 1/2 pound of Brussels sprouts in a microwavable dish; add 1/4 cup of liquid, cover, and cook. Cooking times: for medium sprouts, four minutes;

for large ones, eight minutes.

Steaming

Sprouts can be steamed in a vegetable steamer or steam-boiled in a small amount of water. To steam-boil, add the sprouts to 1" of already-boiling water and cover.

Steam or steam-boil for one to two minutes, uncover the pot for 10 to 15 seconds to disperse the strong-tasting compounds that form when sprouts (and other members of the cabbage family) are cooking. Cover and finish cooking. Cooking times: steam-boiling, five to 10 minutes; in a steamer, six to 12 minutes, depending on size.

Whichever cooking method you choose, test for doneness by inserting a knife tip into the stem end, which should be barely tender.

Braised Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Butter

Braising is an excellent method for cooking Brussels sprouts. Braising refers to cooking food with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan.

500gr small and firm, bright green Brussels sprouts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Check each head, peel off any loose or discolored leaves. Using a paring knife, cut an X through the core end of each head.
Bring sprouts, water and salt to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Lower heat, cover and simmer. Shake pan once or twice during braising to redistribute sprouts.
Cook until just tender 8 to 10 minutes. Test by piercing with a knife tip. Drain well.
Melt butter in a large skillet of medium heat. Whisk in mustard until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.
Add sprouts to skillet, coating well with the butter mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 3 to 4.