Brussels Sprouts may be the most-hated vegetable in the Western Hemisphere. (After Broccoli, some would insist…) But I’ve made it my quest to find Brussels’ sprouts recipes that even haters can love. Today’s is easy, cheap and fast, as well…
Brussels Sprouts – as I have said many times before in this space – are among the healthiest produce items you can consume. They’e members of the Cru-ciferous veggie family, which includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choi, turnip, radishe, arugula, collards, kale and watercress…
Unfortunate characteristics
Alas, many of these super-veggies share unfortunate flavour and aroma charact-eristics. The Spouts are no exception.
And it’s these attributes that many would-be Sprouts lovers have been turned off by. The classic profile of a Sprouts Hater is someone who was introduced to the veggie too young, tried it once and vowed never to let the things cross their dinner plate again… Another major factor in that experience was probably that the Sprouts were not prepared in an appetizing way, calculated to entice, rather than revolt the tastebuds.
The first time I tried Sprouts, they were undercooked – hard and bitter. And they were served solo – no butter or cheese, or even salt or pepper (as I recall). That would turn anyone off! But I liked something about them, in spite of all that. I clearly remember being fascinated by the slightly herbaceous, earthy base flavour of Sprouts…
I now know to call that characteristic ‘umami’. And I’ve come to appreciate it in other foods some folks love, but others hate – such as mushrooms and certain ‘exotic’ veggies such as fennel root.
Why this recipe?
As I said at the outset, it’s fast, easy and cheap. And it’s really tasty, too. Remember how much Joey liked Broccoli after Scott’s mom put cheese on it?
Then, there’s the caramelization factor. The Sprouts roast to a beautiful golden brown on top in the oven while the cut sides allow moisture from the ‘creamy, cheesy sauce’ to simmer their interiors to mild, tender, umami bliss…
The author’s two cents…
“In my opinion, Brussels sprouts are the unsung heroes of the holiday season,” enthuses Delish con-tributor Lindsay Funston. “Their earthy, nutty, slightly sweet flavor is perfect for comforting dishes, and, even if you aren’t traditionally a fan of Brussels sprouts, this cheesy casserole is here to prove it. Baked in a cheesy, creamy sauce and topped with crispy bacon, this 30-minute recipe is the holiday side your Thanksgiving – or any weeknight dinner – needs.”
The basics…
All you need to get started is Sprouts, Bacon (crisped and crumbled), Shallots, Heavy Cream and a pile of white ‘melting’ cheese.
No canned creamed soup for this sauce! Just the cream and the cheese… Funston recommends White Cheddar or Gruyère, shredded. Mozzarella is too mild – and too melty for this application…
You can eyeball the amounts and proportions. If you like more cheese, pile on more! Just don’t overfill the casserole dish. You want the Sprouts snuggling shoulder to shoulder, but each with at least one surface exposed, for optimum caramelization.
Par-cook the Sprouts and Shallots as directed. Keep in mind that they’ll cook further in the oven. Use fresh Sprouts, rather than frozen, for best results.
Bake at 375 F for 15 minutes, or until the sprouts are fork tender and nicely browned on top. The sauce should be creamy but not runny.
And don’t forget the salt and pepper, to taste. Check just before serving and adjust if necessary.
My take
I always add a generous layer of buttered bread crumbs on top of any Brussels Sprouts casserole I toss together. But I think this one deserves to have an exposed upper surface, to show off the cara-melized sprouts and the melted cheese.
This thing goes together in 15 minutes or so and bakes up fast once it’s assembled. That makes it perfect for quick weeknight suppers, as Funston suggests.
… And see how many Brussels Sprouts ‘haters’ you can convert to ‘lovers’!
~ Maggie J.