mon petit choux (for the love of brussel sprouts)

Brussel sprouts on the stalk look like an amazing alien creature. They are green and most delicious in spring or early fall. Delicious alongside anything umame,as well as roasted potatoes they are also full of actual nutrients. They just went on sale for 50 cents a 6 oz bag at our local fruit market.

My two favorite methods are roasting  or as a weird mixed slaw which is picnic safe as it contains no mayo:

Roasting
1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Take 6 oz brussel sprouts Remove any funky leaves, then rinse.
3. Peel a thin slice off the the stump. Then Make an x in the stump. If very large, skip this step and slice head in half. If you want slice half a sweet onion in with this.
4.Drizzle olive oil (2 tb) on a casserole dish or roasting pan, add two cloves garlic sliced thin. Toss to coat.
5. Put in oven for 20 minutes turning half way through. Remove and salt to taste pref with a large flake salt.
6.Drizzle with one of the following dressing options and serve:
   
Maple Ginger Soy
 3 tb  soysauce (tamari for gf folks) ,2 tb maple syrup (honey works too) and 1/2 inch ginger grated plus a pinch of dried ginger. Mix allwith 1 tb water.

Lemon and oil:
Mix1/2 lemon's juice (2-3 tb) with 2 tb olive oil. Toss to coat. You could add 1-2 tb leftover pesto from another night.

Lemon soy
Mix Juice (3-4 tb) of a lemon with 3 tb tamari/soy sauce.

Butter and thyme/rosemary
Melt 3 tb butter , add 1 tb leaves removed from stalk.



Brussel slaw
1.Wash and remove stumps from 8 oz sprouts.Slice into shreds.
2.Wash and slice 2 green onions
3. Optional half a tart apple,cubed
4. 1 grated carrot
5. Optional 1 tb poppyseeds,
6. Optional4 oz fresh broccoli crown sliced into tiny florets. If choosing this option double the dressing.
7. Optional 1 oz. Bacon or coconut bacon or shredded parmesan, &/ or 1/4 tsp smoked salt
8. Optional 1/4 cup currants or raisins
9. 1/2 cup dried cranberries
10.2 tb walnuts, sunflower seeds or pecans
12.Dressing-follows below
13. Toss all together, S&P to taste

Dressing for Brussel slaw
Mix 1 Tb brown, whole or spicy mustard, with 3 tb maple syrup (or one of honey+1 of water), 3 tb cider vinegar, and 2 of olive,or sunflower oil.

Basic sauces: lemon and oil, roasted brussel sprouts...

This should be self explanatory Lemon and Olive oil is one of the best sauces out there. The technique pretty much lends itself to a variety of  citrus fruits and to a degree just use sweeter vinegars (like balsamic or apple) in a smaller quantity to enjoy your deep green things and noodley things more when there is no lemony goodness around.

Here's how to do it.

On many things squeezing 1-2 tb olive oil and the juice of a lemon will do it. Add a sprinkle of salt if you desire ...which I do. Done. This is helpful for salad, Chopped salad and as a dressing on white bean soup.

Let's say you just stovetop roasted some mushrooms and onion or say broccoli or really anything verdant or nicely bitter(Chicken breasts too if you eat them). Before you stir fry add 1/2 onion half moon sliced and sautee in olive oil, adding 1-10 cloves of sliced garlic once the onion becomes translucent. Grab a cup of water (or wine if the mood calls for it) to keep by the stove. Add a half cup to your pot after the onions and garlic play for a bit. Add salt here if you use it. Grate 1/2 of your lemon's (well washed) peel into the pot. Once the liquid reduces substantially to a syrupy/brothy texture add the juice of the lemon. Don't worry this works with bottled lemon juice and no zest if that's what you have, the flavour is just a bit less bright. Garnish with fresh herbs like thyme,mint, chives, basil,etc. when you have them and when it doesn't clash.

Let's say you are roasting brussel sprouts. Fresh brussel sprouts, not the completely ruined frozen variety. So it's fall or spring and you want delicious sprouts. Clean those sprouts and cut a partial x through their butts after trimming the stem. Sliced 3 cloves of garlic on that lb. of sprouts and toss in a liberal bath of olive oil 3-4 tb. Zest and squeeze you lemon on it, Add salt again if you like. add 1/4 cup water and cook in the oven 15 minutes at 425 F. Put under broiler at same temp for last 10 minutes