There are two reasons why you hate brussel sprouts:
You probably only remember them from when you were a kid. About 15 years ago a new, less bitter cultivar of brussel sprouts was developed, and is now the main the cultivar.
Your parents (or grandparents, or whoever did the cooking at Christmas) probably boiled or steamed them, which is a perfect way to make any vegetable taste bad.
Here’s what you actually do. Dice up a small amount of bacon and lightly fry in a tiny bit of oil, just until the bacon fat starts to render out. Add a nob of butter (altogether the amount of fat should nicely coat the bottom of the pan). Cut your sprouts in half and place them in the fat cut side down. DON’T TOUCH THEM. Let them sit until a nice brown crust forms. Then add a splash of water (or chicken stock if you’re a true degenerate) and cover for a few minutes to steam. When done, a knife should pierce them with some resistance (bite into one, it should have a little crunch to it, but not unpleasantly so; just enough to not be mushy). Drain off the liquid, hit them with kosher salt and a little bit of black pepper.
Note that the bacon is totally optional. If you’re just adding a quick veg to a meal you can skip that part and they’ll still taste great.
There are two reasons why you hate brussel sprouts:
You probably only remember them from when you were a kid. About 15 years ago a new, less bitter cultivar of brussel sprouts was developed, and is now the main the cultivar.
Your parents (or grandparents, or whoever did the cooking at Christmas) probably boiled or steamed them, which is a perfect way to make any vegetable taste bad.
Here’s what you actually do. Dice up a small amount of bacon and lightly fry in a tiny bit of oil, just until the bacon fat starts to render out. Add a nob of butter (altogether the amount of fat should nicely coat the bottom of the pan). Cut your sprouts in half and place them in the fat cut side down. DON’T TOUCH THEM. Let them sit until a nice brown crust forms. Then add a splash of water (or chicken stock if you’re a true degenerate) and cover for a few minutes to steam. When done, a knife should pierce them with some resistance (bite into one, it should have a little crunch to it, but not unpleasantly so; just enough to not be mushy). Drain off the liquid, hit them with kosher salt and a little bit of black pepper.
Note that the bacon is totally optional. If you’re just adding a quick veg to a meal you can skip that part and they’ll still taste great.
That’s basically how we make them, but we also top them with diced green apple, feta cheese and a balsamic drizzle. Absolutely heavenly.