Fear And Loathing In Pasadena

What A Girl Eats can now be found at whatagirleats.com

It looks a bit like some kind of strange creature from the deep.

Forget Global Warming or the War on Terrorism. If you want a real controversy, malign Brussels sprouts*. I found this out last November after making a simple observation about Brussels sprouts on Facebook. The comments, seventeen of them, were either in support of Brussels sprouts or agreement with me on their um, taste. I've eaten this vegetable exactly once in the last 40 years, and that was under duress. As a kid, I am sure I either choked them down, or hid them in my napkin.
Not wanting to appear culinarily un-adventurous, and since Thanksgiving seems to be one of the Brussels sprout's best friends, I decided to give them a second chance. I have to admit, I was a bit drawn in by their packaging. They are now sold on the stalk, no doubt due to some clever marketer's idea that it will make them appear more intriguing. 

When I told Spencer I was going to be roasting Brussels sprouts, and knowing my keen loathing for this vegetable, he said, "Brussels sprouts are not sexy". This is true. The Brussels sprout definitely lacks the slender appeal of asparagus, the seductive mystery of an artichoke or the All-American wholesomeness of the tomato. And yet, as with many things in life, preparation and presentation can easily sway our perceptions. 
It also helped that Cook's Illustrated had a full page on Roasted Brussels Sprouts in the most recent issue, from which I could choose a favorite  preparation. I knew I wasn't crazy, when Cook's Illustrated said that they are, indeed bitter, due to enzymes and compounds, blah, blah, blah. 

Coated in olive oil and ready to roast.

Most of my Facebook friends suggested simply roasting them and drizzling them with olive oil, salt and perhaps some grated Parmesan cheese. Could one of these preparations bring back the Brussels sprout from the vegetable netherworld? I could only hope.

The Cook's Illustrated version with bacon and pecans at least had 2 out of three things going for it. My second choice was garlic, red pepper flakes and Parmesan. Each recipe calls for 2 1/4 pounds of Brussels sprouts which coincidentally, was exactly what was on my large stalk after I removed them and weighed them. I decided to do 1/2 of each recipe, because there was no way I was going to take a chance on close to  FIVE POUNDS of Brussels sprouts in my house! The preparation was easy enough and definitely quick since I was halving them and didn't have to make a small X in the bottom of each sprout. Roasting took about 20 minutes and the finishing just a few minutes. 
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
2 1/4 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water
Kosher salt and pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Toss sprouts, oil, water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl until sprouts are coated. Transfer sprouts to rimmed baking sheet and arrange so cut sides are facing down.
2. Cover sheet tightly with foil and roast for 10 minutes.
3.  Remove foil and continue to cook until Brussels sprouts are well browned and tender, 10-12 minutes longer. 
4. Transfer to serving platter, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (At this point you can either serve them or continue on with either recipe). Each recipe is for 2 1/4 pounds sprouts.

Brussels Sprouts with Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes and Parmesan

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes and Parmesan

1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in an 8" skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
2.  Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; cook until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. 
3. Remove from heat. Transfer sprouts to platter, toss with garlic oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

Brussels sprouts with bacon and pecans. A side for a Southern Thanksgiving?

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pecans

1. Cook 4 slices of bacon in a 10" skillet over medium heat until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Remove bacon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat.
3. Finely chop bacon.
4. Transfer sprouts to a serving dish and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, reserved bacon fat, chopped bacon and 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While my vegetable heart will always belong to asparagus, I've at least opened my palate, if not my mouth,  to the possibilities of Brussels sprouts. The garlic, red pepper and Parmesan version edged out the bacon and pecan version by a nose in our family. I actually ate a whole serving! Sophie and Spencer even said "mmm", even though they spent the whole day shaking their heads and muttering, "Brussels sprouts?", as they watched me prepping, cooking and photographing them.

*I've always been a little confused about the spelling of Brussels sprouts. Did they originate in Belgium? And if so, why not a possessive apostrophe? Should Brussels be capitalized? Apparently so. Sorry, that's the grammarian in me. Spell check certainly knew, but wouldn't tell me the correct spelling, so I had to research it. One Brussels sprout is just that, more than one? Brussels sprouts.