Brussels Sprouts. The very word has been known to make children cry, strike fear in the hearts of the bravest of men, and cause household pets to dash under a bed and shiver uncontrollably. Certainly if you asked a stranger on the street to name their favorite vegetables in order of preference, Brussels sprouts would not be in the top ten…or fifty… Even I will admit that ever since having them a time or two in my childhood, I have otherwise avoided them like the Plague for the past 20+ years.
Why do these little green buds – which are actually the same species as kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, and cauliflower – have such a bad reputation? Why does this cluster of miniature heads of wild cabbage, which has been grown since medieval times, conjure reactions of flared, wrinkled nostrils and curled lips (or worse) with just the mere mention of it? Turns out, most people just haven’t had them cooked right. Or more specifically, have had them overcooked; a condition which releases compounds that have a potent smell and taste of sulfur. So, when our CSA share recently included Brussels sprouts and April suggested roasting them, I decided it was time to give them another chance…
