Brussels sprouts unfortunately do not enjoy a favourable reputation with the masses. It passes in all categories- it’s a cute little green cabbage with high nutritional value, but it is the taste that lets most down.

However, I believe to make the most of the vegetable’s distinctive flavour, it must be cooked properly which I hope this recipe will do. It’s also important to choose Brussels sprouts that are uniform in size and with  leaves that should not be wilted or brown. The hazelnut’s rich, creamy flavour cuts the sharpness of the cruciferous vegetable and enlivens the warm nuttiness of the dish. This vegetable is a winter staple for me and I look forward to it just the same this year as well.

Ingredients:

  •  3 lbs. brussels sprouts
  •  Salt and pepper, to taste
  •  ¼ tsp. sugar
  •  ¾ cup shelled hazelnuts
  •  12 tbsp. unsalted butter
  •  Fresh lemon juice to taste
  • Preparation time : 15 minutes
  • Cooking time : 30 minutes
  • Number of servings (yield) : 8

Instructions:

  •  Cut or pull off ant dry outer leaves from the Brussel sprouts and slice off the dry stem end.
  •  Cut a small X about 1/8 inch deep into the stem of each brussels sprout.
  •  In a large saucepan of boiling water, add salt, sugar and Brussels sprouts.
  •  Boil until the sprouts are bright green and tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Drain, rinse under cold running water.
  • Toast the hazelnuts in a fry pan over medium heat, stirring them to colour evenly, until the skins char and begin to split and flake, about 10 minutes.
  •  Rub the nuts against one another inside the towel to remove the skins.
  •  Chop coarsely.
  •  Return the hazelnuts to the fry pan over medium-low heat and lightly toast the skinned nuts for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  •  Add the butter and let it melt.
  •  Season with salt and pepper and add the Brussels sprouts.
  •  Stir constantly to coat well, for about 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve

I am a self-taught cook, with of course lots of help and encouragement from my mommy and a tremendous amount of support from my hubby. Cooking is cathartic for me; it relaxes me and the sense of achievement I get after a well cooked meal is second-to-none. Teamed up with my love for reading and writing,its pure joy. Most of my recipes are my mother’s -she is my greatest inspiration and go-to person for culinary emergencies (we all have them, don’t we?)- and from magazines such as Good Housekeeping and Hello. Having spent a couple of years in South-east Asia, (read Singapore and Malaysia), I caught a very oriental bug. Which is…which is… well its using my cell phone to take snaps of the meals I am about to gobble up. In my defense, it’s strictly limited to my travels abroad. For that, I have dedicated a picture blog called ‘Food Casserole.’