An 'English' Food Goes International

"Eat your Brussels sprouts!"  If you grew up in England, those four little words are something you would have heard quite often, as you pushed the bad-smelling, bitter tasting, mushy little orbs around your plate rather than actually putting them in your mouth…yuck!

But, lo and behold, Brussels sprouts are actually quite good if cooked properly, and they're becoming more and more popular throughout the world.

(The negative connotation comes from the vegetable being overcooked, which releases the sulphur compounds giving off the unpleasant smell. When sprouts are correctly cooked they are crisp, with a delicate nutty flavour.)

Brussels sprouts (grown possibly as early as the 1200s in what is now Belgium) are full of nutrients and contain nearly 50 percent more vitamin C than an orange. They also contain indoles which are nitrogen compounds known for their cancer fighting properties and are a good source of folate, potassium, vitamin K, fibre and carotene.

Since they are cultivated in the cooler climates of Europe, England has one of the largest productions of sprouts, which explains its popularity in that region.

When buying sprouts, choose ones that are firm, and have bright green leaves and are similar in size to a golf ball. To store the sprouts do not wash them but wrap loosely in paper towel and put into a plastic bag and this way they can be kept in a fridge for up to two weeks.

To prepare for cooking, remove any wilted or discoloured leaves, trim the stem and cut a shallow cross in the base of the sprout as this will allow the heat to penetrate the core. When cooking, test for doneness by inserting the tip of a knife into the stem which should be just tender when ready.

In addition to boiling, they can be roasted, creamed or baked with extra ingredients.

To roast, preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the trimmed sprouts (about 500g for four people) into a plastic bag, add salt and pepper and two to three tablespoons of olive oil. Seal the bag and shake to coat the sprouts well, pour out onto a baking sheet and roast in the centre of the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to prevent burning. However, they will be very dark brown when done.

Another recipe is for creamed, cheesy sprouts. For six people all you need is 1.5kg. sprouts, 275ml double cream and 150g cheese, grated. You can use any strong cheese, but it is best with Parmesan. Heat the oven to 180°C and boil the sprouts in salted water for about five minutes until parboiled. Drain and put into a food processor with the cream and salt and pepper. Whiz for about 20 seconds until the sprouts are roughly chopped but not a smooth puree. Mix the cheese into the mash leaving enough to sprinkle on the top. Put into a baking dish, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake until the top is brown and crunchy.

For Christmas, there's a special dish of stir-fried sprouts with chestnuts. For four people you will need:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
8 rashers streaky bacon cut into chunks
125g vacuum packed chestnuts
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g Brussels sprouts, sliced thickly
50ml hot chicken stock
Grated zest of half a lemon
Soy sauce to taste

1. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the bacon until crisp; put in the chestnuts, continuing to fry until they are well coated.

2. Add the garlic and fry for another minute, then toss in the sliced sprouts and turn up the heat. Stir-fry for one minute, pour in the stock and cook for eight to 10 minutes until the sprouts are tender. Mix in the lemon zest and soy sauce, cook for one minute and enjoy.

Keep cooking and a Happy Christmas and Happy Eating to everyone.

COOKING TIP

Herbs & Spices

►As a general rule, herbs and ground spices will retain their best flavors
for a year. Whole spices may last for 3 to 5 years. Proper storage should
result in longer freshness times.

►When possible, grind whole spices in a grinder or mortar & pestle just
prior to using. Toasting whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat
before grinding will bring out even more flavor. Be careful not to burn.

►Do not use dried herbs in the same quantity as fresh. In most cases,
 use 1/3 the amount in dried as is called for fresh.

Η ΜΑΓΕΙΡΙΚΗ ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΗ ΤΟΥ ΜΗΝΑ

Γενικά,  βότανα και τριμμένα μπαχαρικά διατηρούν το άρωμά τους  και τη γεύση τους για ένα χρόνο. Τα ολόκληρα μπαχαρικά διατηρούν το άρωμά τους μέχρι 3 ή και 5 χρόνια. Μια σωστή συσκευασία αποθήκευσης θα παρατείνει την διάρκεια φρεσκάδας.

Αν είναι δυνατόν, τρίψτε την ποσότητα που σας χρειάζεται μόλις πριν χρησιμοποιήσετε το μπαχαρικό. Αν καβουρντίσετε το ολόκληρο μπαχαρικό σε στεγνό τηγάνι – και προσέξτε μην το κάψετε – πριν το τρίψτε θα σας δώσει ένα πιο έντονο άρωμα.

Μην χρησιμοποιείτε αποξηραμένα βότανα στην ίδια αναλογία όπως τα χλωρά. Στις περισσότερες περιπτώσεις, αν χρησιμοποιείτε αποξηραμένα, χρειάζεστε μόνο το 1/3 της ποσότητας απ'αυτή που αναφέρεται για τα χλωρά.