Cooking Brussels Sprouts

BEFORE COOKING:

Immediately before cooking, remove any yellowed or damaged leaves from the brussels sprouts, rinse them, and lightly score the tip in a cross shape to eliminate bitterness.

COOKING:

Place the brussels sprouts into a small amount of cold water if you wish their flavour and aroma to infuse the broth (e.g. when making soup). If cooking as a standalone dish, add them to boiling water – this preserves most of their juices. Fresh brussels sprouts should be cooked for 5–7 minutes. Begin timing from the moment the water returns to a boil. Salt is added immediately after boiling. It is also advisable to add a little sugar, which helps the sprouts retain their green colour. Midway through cooking, milk may be added to prevent calcium from leaching from bones due to trace elements in the sprouts. After boiling, remove the lid to allow any unpleasant odorous oils to evaporate, then finish cooking with the lid on. Alternatively, leave the lid off entirely – they will then retain a more vibrant green colour. To check if the brussels sprouts are done, pierce one with a fork or knife. If it goes in easily, they are ready.

AFTER COOKING:

After cooking, drain the brussels sprouts. To preserve their vibrant green colour, plunge the cooked sprouts into ice water for 1 minute.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Sprinkle with toasted, grated breadcrumbs prepared in a dry pan. Serve hot alongside dishes of meat, fish, poultry, or eggs.

Enjoy your meal!



Check out how to cook frozen brussels sprouts.