Bad Rep

I was in a panic. My friend, Ginger, wanted to lose a few pounds before the holidays. First, can I just say that my friend has a perfect figure, and more importantly, now who's going to eat my cooking?

I had the perfect solution. I'll just cook vegetables that not only tastes great, but I can share with Ginger! I particularly love this recipe of creamy braised Brussels sprouts. I know, it's not a very popular nor loved vegetable, and frankly, I never understood why the bad reputation. It's compact, a miniature cabbage, and is delicious. I think if you cook it properly, it takes on a sweet and nutty flavor. The secret is not to overcook the lovely sprouts.

The recipe calls for rich ingredients of butter and cream. The Brussels sprouts take on a nice deep flavor when browned a bit before adding the cream. I think the sprout heads should be fairly tight so look for smaller heads when purchasing. Alternatively, you can find this vegetable still on a stalk. To brown evenly, use a skillet that will hold the sprouts in one layer. A great holiday dish, it will make a starring role next to any protein on your table. I think finishing off the dish with some crumbled bacon or even some toasted nuts will be da bomb! Bacon, butter, cream...not much of a diet food! I hope you enjoyed the dish, Ginger!


Creamy Braised Brussels Sprouts
Adapted from Molly Stevens, All About Braising

1 lb Brussels sprouts
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 lemon
coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

Trim the very base of each sprout and peel off any ragged leaves. Cut the sprouts through the core into halves. If the sprouts are large, cut each half into thirds, or, if they are smallish, cut each half again to make quarters. Ultimately, you want little wedges that no more than 1/2 inch across.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming stops, add the Brussels sprouts and season with salt and white pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts begin to brown in spots, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the cream, stir, cover, and reduce to a slow simmer. Braise over low heat until the sprouts are tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife, 30 to 35 minutes. The cream will have reduced some and turned a fawn color.

Remove the cover, stir in a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and taste for seasoning. Let simmer, uncovered, for just a few minutes to thicken the cream to a glaze that coats the sprouts. Serve hot or warm.