Quick Side: Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish Sauce ♥

Even without the (deliciously decadent) sour cream & horseradish sauce, a great way to cook Brussels sprouts quickly
[Hello All ... If you're reading this via an e-mail subscription or in an RSS reader and haven't visited the site recently, the Recipe Box is getting a facelift, check Weight Watchers and Favorites for examples of more to come! As always, many thanks for sharing in this crazy odyssey of vegetables ... it means much to me, your making A Veggie Venture part of your day. Now, on to today's recipe, another good one for Brussels sprouts!]

I grew up on Brussels sprouts so it's no surprise that they often make their way onto my table. Once, they made their way across the room, too: my first time cooking dinner for now-dear friends, the Brussels sprouts were so undercooked that one baby-cabbage missile went flyyyyying as we tried to cut into them. Oops.

Ever since, I've been extra cautious about making sure Brussels sprouts are well-cooked. And honestly, I think they taste better when cooked til soft in the center, rather than al dente, as is the current trend. But: you decide how you like them, I only plant the idea.

This recipe uses an entirely new basic technique (for me) for cooking Brussels sprouts, a quick skillet braise. Some to my surprise, it really works, the little baby cabbages really do get fully cooked this way! I will do this again and again, for sure.

The sour cream and horseradish sauce is great, too, just an indulgence. I'd serve it with meat that's unsauced or at minimum, in a dairy-less sauce. And next time I'll try just 1/4 cup of sour cream which drops the count to just 1 Weight Watchers point.

FOOD SCIENCE My new pal Harold McGee is helping me understand that there's actually a chemical reason -- not pure finickiness -- why some people don't like vegetables like Brussels sprouts. Turns out, some folks are plain sensitive to bitterness. The typical ways to minimize bitterness - slow cooking or fast cooking -- don't make one bit of difference. But a trick that might well help is to cut the sprouts in halves or quarters and then cook them in a lot of water. If there's someone (you?) in the family who doesn't eat Brussels sprouts, this just might do the trick.



FROM THE ARCHIVES
Look for other Brussels sprouts recipes in the Recipe Box. Favorites include:


A YEAR AGO Cabbage with Winter Pesto, a "definite keeper".

FROM GREAT FOOD BLOGS
Orangette ... Cream-Braised Brussels Sprouts
What We're Eating ... Brussels Sprouts with Spiced Walnuts, Bacon, and Bleu Cheese
Smitten Kitchen ... Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mustard-Caper Butter



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BRUSSELS SPROUTS with HORSERADISH SAUCE

Hands-on time: 10 minutes to prep, 5 minutes to cook
Time to table: 25 minutes
Serves 4 (about 5 sprouts per serving)

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered (or halved if small)

HOW TO TRIM BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Wash the sprouts under running water. Slice off the stem end about 1/4 way into the sprout, then remove the outer leaves. Check to see that the remaining sprout is completely clean and the leaves unblemished, if not wash again and remove another layer of outer leaves. Quarter (or halve, if small) the sprouts, cutting right through the core. This step can be done several hours, even a day before. It's the only redeeming feature about cleaning Brussels sprouts!

1/2 cup chicken broth (I used 1/2 teaspoon of Better Than Boullion)
Salt

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon horseradish
Pepper

In a skillet large enough to mostly keep the sprouts in a single layer (and that can be covered), add the sprouts and chicken broth. Toss to sprouts with liquid. Cover and bring to a boil (hard to see, I know) and then cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and carefully cook til liquid boils off and Brussels sprouts are done. Season with salt to taste. Mix sour cream and horseradish together in a small bowl, then turn into the Brussels sprouts, turning gently so not to tear apart them apart. Let warm through. Transfer to a warm (preferably, to hold the heat a bit better) serving dish, season with pepper and serve.

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. Always looking for good recipes for B Sprouts.

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  2. I adore Brussels sprouts, probably because I love cabbage and they're like cute, miniature cabbages. I have some fresh horseradish so I'll have to try this.

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  3. McGee is great, but I can't read him all the time

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  4. Alanna, for what it's worth, I haven't been seeing your posts repeatedly in Bloglines. Maybe it's just how I have my preferences set up, but I'm only getting your new posts.

    I LOVE anything with horseradish. And I love Brussels sprouts. So this has got to be a great combo!

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  5. Brussel sprout with horse radish sounds delicious. Great combination!

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  6. What a great blog I am so glad I stumbled across this! I am a 'lazy vegetarian' and these recipes will hopefully inspire me to start experimenting.

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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