Its slightly bitter taste isn’t everyone’s favour, however Brussels sprouts is the ultimate winter vegetable.
The main season for Brussels sprouts lasts from November until January which it predestines to be the winter season’s favourite. Its buds grow in dozens on small shrubs similar to grapes. It is generally served as a side dish to accompany fish or meat but is also delicious in soups, stews or vegetable gratin. Like the green cabbage it is ready for harvest after the first frost. Only then it develops its full taste.
What are the good and healthy qualities of Brussels sprouts?
100 grams Brussels sprouts contain around 115 milligrams of vitamin C, which is roughly the daily dose needed by an adult. However, not only the vitamin C content of the cabbage is enormous: it also supplies calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium as well as several B vitamins. In addition, it is rich in zinc, which serves well for skin and hair. The red blood-corpuscles are pleased with its iron content, our cells and potassium help with dehydration.
What to consider when buying and storing?
The stronger and more compact the leaves of the florets are, the fresher the vegetables. Stored cool and slightly moist, it stays fresh for up to one week. As with asparagus, it is recommended to wrap the Brussels sprouts in a damp kitchen towel and store in the vegetable drawer of the fridge, separated from fruits. If the shoots become dry, they lose their vitamins. By the way, blanched Brussels sprouts can be frozen.
How to make it ready to cook.
First, you should cut the strings and remove the outer leaves. Wash thoroughly afterwards. Tip: In order for the cabbage to cook evenly, cut the stalk with a knife x-shaped.
How to prepare it.
Sprouts can be cooked or blanched. In the former, care must be taken to pour only a small quantity of water into the pot with some salt. Once the water boils, reduce the heat and simmer slowly. So that the sprouts remain bite-proof, regularly prick into the florets to check the cooking test. The longer the vegetable cooks the more muddy it becomes and loses its original color as well as vitamins and minerals. Season with salt, pepper and some nutmeg and stir it briefly before serving. For meat lovers the combination with roasted bacon is unbeatable.
For blanching you need a large pot of bubbling hot water. Just add a small amount of sprouts and boil for a few minutes. Immediately put it in a bowl of ice water. One can also take the trouble and separate the leaves one by one, blanch and then either fry in the pan or serve the blanched leaves as salad.
How to make the Brussels sprouts digestible.
Cabbage in general or broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts in particular – not everyone is a friend of such kind of vegetables. The reasons for this are the bittering substances contained therein. Especially at a young age many people reject the taste. Spices such as caraway, coriander or fennel seeds can remove the bitterness of the vegetables; sometimes simply a shot of sweet cream in the cooking water provides wholesomeness.
Did you know that …
… the stem of the Brussels sprouts plant can be between 70 and 100 cm high?
… one plant can grow up to 40 buds, so-called florets?
… there exists also a kind of red Brussels sprouts? However, Dutch breeding is rarely used because it loses its color during cooking.
