Lemony Creamy Brussels Sprouts & Celery ♥

Oh this is good, I even made it twice! Lemon and Brussels sprouts are a terrific combination. You could skip the celery but truly, celery and Brussels sprouts are brilliant together too. If you shy from creamed vegetables, don't worry, this sauce is light and bright, not heavy and floury.

TIPS
  • If you're buying celery for this, look for a stalk with nice celery leaves
  • I accidentally made it with and without the celery seed, both are great
    Use plenty of salt in the cooking water (or if you prefer to steam the Brussels sprouts, try this technique)
  • To better soak up the lemony creaminess, cook the sprouts just past al dente, then cut in half
  • For a gussied up version, I might stir in a small wad of Gorgonzola or a stinky blue cheese
  • To make ahead:
    • clean, trim and X the Brussels sprouts, keep cold and covered (if needed, a day before but better a few hours before)
    • make the sauce but don't add the lemon juice and zest (a few hours ahead)
    • before serving, cook the sprouts, rewarm the sauce, stir in the lemon flavor, combine, season and serve
DIET CHOICES Low carb. High fiber. Weight Watchers 1 point. A winner, all around!

FROM THE ARCHIVES For other Brussels sprouts recipes, see here in the Recipe Box. Favorites include Brussels sprouts tossed with mustard and vinegar, or pancetta, garlic and basil or a red wine sauce. They're all delicious!

LEMONY CREAMY BRUSSELS SPROUTS & CELERY
Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes
Serves 8

Well salted water to cover
1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts (frozen Brussels are decent but I wouldn't recommend for this)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 tablespoon works too, but 2 is better when there's really a pound of sprouts and a near-pound of celery, thus 8 full servings)
4 ribs celery, trimmed and cut on diagonal 1/4 inch thick (reserve leaves for later)
1/4 teaspoon celery seed (or caraway or dill or perhaps nothing)
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup skim or other milk (don't use fat-free half 'n' half, it creates a gooey mess)
Zest of a lemon (important, don't skip)
Juice of half a lemon
Pepper to taste

Bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, trim ends and remove tough outer leaves and any bruised leaves. With a paring knife, cut an X into the core (this helps heat reach the centers to speed cooking). Drop into boiling water and cook until tender, about 15 minutes (err on side of softness so that sauce can soak in).

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter on MEDIUM until shimmery, stir in the celery and celery seed and cook until celery is beginning to soften. Stir in the flour, smashing any lumpy bits. Slowly (this means starting a tablespoon at a time to start ...) add the milk, stirring continuously. Cook until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the zest, lemon juice, pepper to taste, Brussels sprouts and reserved celery leaves.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 71 Cal (37% from Fat, 18% from Protein, 45% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 9 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb6; 83 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 57 mg Sodium; 8 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted from Gourmet, November 1990


(c) Copyright 2006 Kitchen Parade
Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. This looks really fresh-tasting and delicious -- I'm going to have to try it. I really have been discovering Brussels sprouts anew this year, but mostly have just been roasting them. This sauce sounds delicious and I'm definitely going to give it a whirl.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the sound of this! Rand makes a great brussels sprouts dish with pancetta and cream; this sounds like a lighter version of the same idea.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Genie ~ It IS fresh-tasting, you've got it!

    Kalyn ~ MUD with pancetta and cream would taste good. But three cheers to Rand for Brussels sprouts :)

    All ~ I love-love-love Brussels sprouts, need to work on finding good ways to use the frozen ones. And I think the reason I like this treatment so much is that it's familiar and new both at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love brussels too - esp this time of year when daintier green vegs aren't available. And I like chopped ones...whole they are *almost* to big to fit in one's mouth!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was so happy to see your Harvard beets recipe but didn't see it until today. I LOVE Harvard beets. My mom makes it for me on my birthday every year, as it is one of my favorites. Thanks for reminding me of it again - I have beets in my pantry that are pining to made!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yum, this looks like a great recipe. I have brussel sprouts growing in the garden now. I'll go pick them and make this yummy sounding recipe. Thanks so much for all the resources. I send my customers to your site often.
    Su from Zoey Farms, Shingle Springs, CA

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe, whether a current recipe or a long-ago favorite. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. ~ Alanna