Last week on my Twitter feed, I raved about a Brussels sprouts recipe that Bookavore made for me. I am trying to be guided by Michael Pollan’s Food Rules guidelines ("Eat food. Not too much. Mostly vegetables."), and finding a Brussels sprouts recipe that would allow me to enjoy the slimy little suckers amazing cruciferous joys was a very exciting thing. Many of you requested the recipe, hence today’s post.
You know you lead a tame life when you get excited about Brussels sprouts.
The recipe comes from Bookavore’s friend, Ami Greko. I was hoping that Ami was a Dallas Cowboys fan, because then I could name them "Greko-Romo Brussels Sprouts."
Alas, she is not. (Which show good sense and humanity, IMHO. Since the Eagles have been bounced, I am rooting for the Saints.)
So we decided to call these, It’s All Greko To Me Brussels Sprouts.
"Take like ten brussels sprouts (if you’re just cooking them for yourself) and clean all the gross leaves off. Cut off the bottoms and cut them in half (helps to cut along the line of the leaves, but not necessary at all).
Put them in a bowl and give a couple good klunks of olive oil. While they’re sitting, heat up a frying pan and add enough oil to just coat the bottom. You can also use cooking spray for the pan, but it’s less delicious. When the pan is at like medium heat (before the oil starts to pop) use your fingers to mix the brussels sprouts into the olive oil and then put them all cut-side-down in the pan. Use the brussels sprouts to spread the oil evenly around the pan. Do a couple cranks of pepper and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
You’re basically steaming the brussels sprouts this way. Don’t test too much, because when you take off the lid you let all the steam out–after about five minutes, open and poke the top of one of the bigger sprouts to see if it’s soft. It will probably take more like 8-10 minutes. When they’re soft, take off the lid and flip a sprout over to see if the bottom is browned. It probably will be, but if not just turn up the heat and let them cook for another couple of minutes. You’re going for golden brown, but some dark-brown-kind-of-burned ones are also delicious. When the bottoms are browned, turn off the heat but leave the pan on the stove and flip the sprouts over to brown the other side. After a minute or two, add more pepper and some salt and toss in the pan. Move to a plate and put some parmesan or asiago cheese on them. They are now perfect and totally ready for eating."
Enjoy!