Brussels sprouts belongs to the cabbage family and was bred by Belgian vegetable growers from the most common leafy cabbage. From Belgium, cabbage migrated to Germany, then to France and Holland. Cabbage came to Russia in the mid-19th century, but did not immediately gain widespread popularity. In the Soviet Union, it was very difficult to buy such a vegetable, and besides, having bought it, not every housewife knew how to properly prepare the foreign relative of white cabbage. The fact is that if the vegetable is not fully boiled or baked, the taste will have an unpleasant bitterness, which can greatly spoil the taste of the main dish.
Now on the Internet, on culinary blogs, you can find a lot variety of recipes cooking Brussels sprouts. It is fried, boiled, baked, steamed. You can cook cabbage vegetable casseroles, chips, add to soups, stews, cook in batter and so on. This Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe is super easy! All you need is:
300-400 gr. Brussels sprouts, fresh or frozen
3-4 cloves of garlic
vegetable oil or butter
salt, ground black pepper
How to deliciously roast Brussels sprouts:
Wash the cabbage and remove any brown or yellow leaves. Large ones - cut into halves.
Boil in boiling water until tender. The finished cabbage should be very soft and almost without bitterness. In order for vegetables to retain their color during cooking, you need to throw them into boiling water and boil them over high heat.
Finely chop the garlic.
Place the finished cabbage in a colander and let the water drain.
Heat 1-2 tbsp. l. vegetable or butter in a frying pan and lightly fry the vegetables. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle with garlic, coarse table salt and ground black pepper.
Bon appetit!
From Brussels sprouts You can easily and simply prepare a very tasty side dish. We present to your attention pan-fried Brussels sprouts with soy sauce. You can also use frozen cabbage for cooking; however, it is not necessary to defrost it - just rinse it with cold water and let it drain.
Soy sauce tastes great with Brussels sprouts, plays off the bitterness of this vegetable and gives the dish a special piquancy - in this version it turns out very tasty and you will definitely like it. The side dish itself looks very appetizing and very colorful - bright green balls of cabbage with a brown tint resulting from frying in soy sauce.
Roasted Brussels sprouts Perfect for chicken breasts and meat cutlets. As a side dish it also goes well with white fish, which has a rather bland taste, and Brussels sprouts will look good against it. It goes well with fried or boiled potatoes - this dish will be a worthy decoration for a Lenten or vegetarian table.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Ingredients:
Cooking Brussels sprouts with soy sauce
1 Heat a frying pan with oil and place the prepared Brussels sprouts into the pan. Fry over high heat for 2 minutes while stirring, then add soy sauce and pepper. Reduce heat to medium.
2 Fry while stirring for another five minutes under the lid, then remove the lid and fry while stirring occasionally for another 2-3 minutes.
1 Brussels sprouts can not only be fried in a frying pan, but also baked in the oven in a covered dish or baking bag. Just mix all the ingredients and bake in a closed form at 200 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.
Nutritionists consider Brussels sprouts one of the most healthy products food containing a huge amount of useful substances. Connoisseurs of fine food find it pleasant to the taste. Unusual mini-heads of cabbage serve as an interesting decoration for meat dishes. Therefore, a “guest from Belgium” is always welcome on the dinner table. But not many people know how to cook Brussels sprouts.
How to select and prepare cabbage for cooking
Brussels cabbage is suitable for frying, baking, or simply boiling.
But before you begin the cooking process, you need to choose the right vegetables. When buying cabbage at the market, you should carefully examine it - there should be no dark or red spots, and you should not take damaged heads.
Small, even forks are considered the most suitable for preparing any dishes. If when purchasing it turns out that the heads of cabbage are too big in size, then they can be divided into two parts.
Before cooking, yellow leaves are removed from the head of cabbage. Next you need to prepare cold water and put the peeled heads of cabbage there. This procedure will get rid of sand and other dirt, as well as insects. Then you need to rinse in clean water and carefully cut off the stems.
Interesting facts:
- Brussels sprouts are not found in nature - they are a man-made species of cabbage.
- The vegetable is relatively young - its birth dates back to the second half of the eighteenth century.
- This is the only type of cabbage that is biennial.
- Small heads of cabbage are side shoots of the stem.
What is the difference between cooking frozen and fresh cabbage?
During fresh vegetable season, Brussels sprouts can be purchased at fresh. But in the cold season, it is most often sold frozen.
The process of preparing frozen and fresh cabbage is practically the same. But the idea that frozen food will take longer to cook is wrong. There is no need to defrost the cabbage first; it will thaw perfectly during the cooking process. There is no need to waste time on soaking, because before freezing, the cabbage heads are washed and all foreign matter is removed from them.
By the way, you can freeze these miniature forks yourself: place them on a tray in one layer in neat rows and place them in the freezer. After the balls are frozen, they are poured into a bag and stored.
Important! If cabbage has a bitter taste, then when fresh this taste is barely noticeable, but when frozen it intensifies.
Methods for preparing Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts can be subjected to any type of processing: they can be boiled, baked, stewed, cooked in the microwave, oven or slow cooker.
How to cook Brussels sprouts
Pour water into a saucepan, add salt and heat. While the water reaches the boiling point, you need to prepare the cabbage heads for boiling - sort, rinse and peel. Simply rinse frozen cabbage in cool water.
After the water begins to boil, lower the cabbage into the water. Boiling time is ten to fifteen minutes. If the cabbage is ready, it can be easily pierced with a fork or toothpick. This fact- a signal that the cabbage is ready.
Drain the water and add butter and black pepper to taste. If you feel a lack of salt, add a little salt. The dish is ready. Can be served, but always hot.
How to Roast Brussels Sprouts
Initially, the cabbage should be processed and washed. The heads of cabbage are cut into two halves. You need to make a small cut in the stem to improve roasting.
Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan. It is very good to fry vegetables in a mixture of vegetable oils and olive oil. The fire should be medium.
The cabbage is laid cut side down and sprinkled with spices. It is better to salt and pepper at the half-prepared stage. One side is fried for about five minutes. After the second side is lightly browned, add water to completely cover the bottom.
Continue the frying process until the water completely evaporates. At the end of frying, add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Serve hot.
Baking cabbage
Preheat the oven to approximately 200 degrees. Pre-clean and wash the cabbage forks. It is better to remove the stems for baking.
Add 3 tablespoons of oil (preferably olive oil), salt and black pepper to the mixture to suit the hostess’ taste. Everything is mixed and the cabbage is placed in a baking bowl. It should be spread in an even layer so that the cabbage is baked well.
Check readiness with a fork - the heads of cabbage should be easily pierced. Approximate baking time is half an hour. Served hot.
Extinguishing
Add salt and peeled and washed cabbage to boiling water. If the cabbage is larger than average, cut it in half and cut the stems.
During the stewing process, you need to make sure that the pan does not become dry. In this case, you can add oil or a little water. Simmer over low heat. Served hot.
Cooking Brussels sprouts using modern kitchen equipment - in a slow cooker or microwave - is no different from the cooking process in an electric or gas oven or on fire. The multicooker has special modes for boiling and baking. Can be deep-fried or steamed.
The cooking process in a microwave oven is carried out in the same mode as in an electric oven. The vegetable can be boiled and baked. Readiness is checked with a fork.
Secrets of a “delicious dish”
Before starting the process of preparing a dish from Brussels sprouts, you should get rid of the bitterness, which, unfortunately, is often found in this vegetable. A bitter taste may occur if the growing technology was violated or the cabbage lacked water. How to correct the situation so as not to spoil the food?
- When cooking, you can add a pinch of sugar and salt with a teaspoon of vinegar.
- Boil the heads of cabbage in water for ten minutes. Drain the water.
- When preparing the dish, add a few drops of lemon juice.
- If a bitter taste is discovered during the cooking process, then any seasonings will help save the situation.
Cabbage with cheese: a simple recipe for a beginner cook
For half a kilo of peeled cabbage take 20 g of butter, 150 g hard cheese, salt and pepper to taste. The heads of cabbage are boiled in salted water and drained in a colander.
Place cabbage balls, pepper and cover with grated cheese in a greased frying pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
A challenging recipe for a culinary master: Brussels sprouts salad.
You will need 500 g of peeled cabbage, two pears (choose ripe, but not too soft), 60 g of peeled pine nuts. Cedar oil with lemon juice is ideal for dressing, but you can replace it with olive oil or any vegetable oil. Finely chopped fresh dill will add piquancy.
The cabbage is blanched in boiling water and separated into leaves, the butter with lemon juice and dill is whipped in a blender, the pear is cut into petals. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Serve chilled.
Before you cook Brussels sprouts, they need to be properly prepared. First, inspect the heads of cabbage, remove spoiled and limp leaves, cut off part of the stalk to refresh the cut area. Wash the cabbage well and place it in a sieve, allowing the water to drain.
It is better to cut fairly large heads of Brussels sprouts in half. If you want the Brussels sprouts to be whole in the finished dish, then make sure that they are approximately the same size. Otherwise, smaller ones will cook faster, and larger ones will need more time for cooking and frying. As a result, different-sized Brussels sprouts will be either overcooked or slightly soggy.
Boil sufficient quantity water (take three parts water for one part cabbage) in a saucepan, add salt to taste and lemon juice.
Lemon juice helps remove the specific bitterness of Brussels sprouts. It will not disappear completely, because this taste is characteristic feature and, I would even say, the highlight of this vegetable.
Now transfer the Brussels sprouts to a saucepan with lemon water and cook after boiling for about ten minutes. It is important not to overcook the vegetable. If the cabbage is very tiny, then significantly reduce the cooking time. Drain the water and cabbage into a colander.
If using, reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.
Cut the bacon into not too thin strips. Narrow slices will brown faster and become dry and brittle. In the same dish, the bacon pieces should be juicy.
In a dry, preheated frying pan, fry strips or slices of bacon until golden brown. The smoked meat product will release aromatic “juice” in which we will fry the cabbage.
Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving the fat, and place on a plate.
Transfer the cabbage heads to the pan where you fried the bacon. Brown the vegetable, but do not overcook it (cabbage cooks quite quickly).
Add garlic cloves, finely chopped with a knife or passed through a press, a couple of tablespoons of butter (you can also use vegetable oil, only without smell), pepper to taste.
Mix all the ingredients in a frying pan, frying for no more than two minutes so that the garlic does not have time to burn.
Add the bacon slices to the vegetables, combine everything together and simmer for one to two minutes. It is best if the flame under the frying pan is always minimal, so you can control the degree of browning of the cabbage and not worry that the garlic will burn and stick to the frying pan.
If desired, the dish can be supplemented with chopped herbs.
Fresh vegetables are the best source of vitamins and valuable elements.
Freezing practically does not destroy the valuable substances contained in this vegetable, but only helps to keep it fresh and tasty longer.
During the harvest season, it is better to buy fresh Brussels sprouts to get the most out of it. You can buy frozen heads of cabbage all year round; they remain just as tasty and full of vitamins as fresh ones.
Useful substances and properties
100 grams of product contains about:
- 90 grams of water;
- 8 grams of carbohydrates;
- 4 grams of protein;
- 1 gram of fiber.
Cabbage is rich in vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system and helps the body cope with infections. Heads of cabbage are high in vitamin B, which improves the condition of skin, nails and hair. The high percentage of iron in cabbage improves metabolism in the body. Potassium also affects cardiovascular system, therefore, eating cabbage is recommended for people suffering from arrhythmia and hypertension. Brussels sprouts are ideal for those who want to lose weight., since it is very low in calories.
How to remove bitterness?
A few simple tips will help you remove unwanted bitterness from cabbages.
- While cooking cabbage, you need to add any seasonings or a few drops of lemon juice: they will correct the taste.
- Boil the heads cut in half.
- Fry in a frying pan with the addition of a few cloves of garlic.
The best recipes with photos
How to cook deliciously in a slow cooker?
Steamed
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts.
- Water.
- Salt.
Preparation:
- Do not defrost it first, let it warm up a little to make cutting easier.
- Cut the heads into two or four parts.
- Pour the required amount of water into the multicooker bowl, place the cabbage in the multicooker basket, place over the water and add salt.
- How long does it take to cook vegetables? After closing the lid, you need to cook in the “Steam cooking” mode for twenty minutes, and you can check the process after 10 minutes of cooking.
You can see other options for cooking Brussels sprouts in a slow cooker.
With vegetables and sauce
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts.
- Carrot.
- Potato.
- Vegetable oil.
- Sour cream.
- Tomato paste.
- Spices, salt, herbs to taste.
Preparation:
- Sort through the heads of cabbage, separate the bruised and spoiled ones.
- Thaw enough to cut into two halves.
- Cut carrots, potatoes and onions into cubes.
- Grease the bottom of the multicooker with vegetable oil.
- Turn on the frying mode and with the lid open, fry the carrots and potatoes, then the onions, and lastly add the cabbage.
- Close the lid and fry the vegetables all together until the mode stops working.
- Make a mixture from tomato paste and sour cream in a 1:1 ratio, add to vegetables.
- Turn on the stewing mode, pour water into the multicooker so that the vegetables are completely covered with it.
- Stir the resulting mixture and leave to cook until the end of the cycle.
- In the middle of the regime, add salt and spices to taste, and at the end - herbs.
How to fry in a frying pan?
With garlic
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts.
- A few cloves of garlic (3-4 will be enough, less or more to taste).
- Vegetable oil/butter.
- Salt, ground black pepper.
Preparation:
- Thaw slightly, cut especially large heads of cabbage in half.
- Grease a frying pan with oil, add finely chopped garlic, fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add the cabbage, fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste.
You can see other recipes for cooking Brussels sprouts in a frying pan and in other ways.
With soy sauce
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts.
- Vegetable oil.
- Ground black pepper to taste.
- Soy sauce 2 tbsp.
Preparation:
- Heat a frying pan and place cabbage on it.
- Fry over high heat for 2 minutes, stirring, then add soy sauce and pepper.
- Continue to fry over medium heat for 5 minutes with the lid on, then a few minutes without the lid, stirring. Stir carefully to keep the dish looking neat.
How to cook in the oven?
Baked with olive oil
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts.
- 3 tbsp. l. olive oil.
- Salt, ground black pepper.
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Defrost and sort out the heads of cabbage, remove deformed and damaged ones.
- Mix cabbage in a bowl olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, turning occasionally, until the cabbage is crisp on the outside but still soft on the inside.
We invite you to watch a video on how to cook baked Brussels sprouts with olive oil:
Read more about how to cook Brussels sprouts in the oven.
Baked in sour cream
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts.
- Two onions.
- Vegetable oil.
- Sour cream 200 gr.
- Seasoning "Italian herbs".
- Salt.
- Ground black pepper.
Preparation:
- Pour water over the cabbage, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes (?).
- Chop the onion and fry it until golden brown.
- Place boiled cabbage and fried onions in one bowl.
- Add sour cream and spices, salt.
- Mix everything thoroughly and place in a baking dish.
- Grind the cheese and sprinkle it over the mixture in the mold.
- Bake for about half an hour in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.