A deeper look at the leafy bud’s secrets.
When you were a kid, you probably hated brussels sprouts. I know I did. Boiled to mush and unseasoned, it was probably the last thing anyone would go out of their way to eat.
How times change! Through the efforts of talented chefs, the brussels sprout has been given new life. A swanky take on this leafy green can be found on many menus; and it has become a trendy, healthy option.
With winter comes the prime brussels sprouts season. I’d like to unravel the little leaf bud and reveal some of its secrets. Our parents said it was good for us, but why? Why are they called “brussels sprouts?” And what can the home cook do with them?
Brussels sprouts were so named by the French in the 18th century, for how beloved the vegetable was in the city of Brussels. Delicious and able to endure cruel winters, brussels sprouts were a staple crop the Benelux people did not take for granted.
“Why aren’t you capitalizing the ‘B’ in ‘Brussels’?”
It depends on your writing style. I gravitate to the Chicago Manual of Style, which differentiates the proper nouns (you also see this in french fries or swiss cheese). Ultimately, it’s up to you!
The brussels sprout as we know it was first documented in the late 16th century, but there is no doubt our ancestors were eating it long before then. That’s because the brussels sprout isn’t a natural plant, but rather a cultivation of humans.
Which brings us to our next question:
Brussels sprouts are not baby cabbages . . . but they kinda are.
As I said earlier, brussels sprouts are a human-engineered strain of a plant called Brassica oleracea, which is also known as wild cabbage. Other strains include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and turnips. Collectively, we refer to this family as cruciferous vegetables. They’re also called cole crops (that’s why coleslaw is a cabbage salad).
Cruciferous is itself a reference to wild cabbage, as its flowers petals bloom in a cross. Cruficerae is Latin for “cross-bearing,” and the name stuck.
These vegetables all share the same scientific name, but they also share another trait: They’re very healthy.
The benefits of cruciferous veggies cannot be understated — they’re called superfoods for a reason. And brussels sprouts are no different.
- Believe it or not, brussels sprouts contain more vitamin C than oranges.
- Vitamin K is also abundant in brussels sprouts. This vitamin is critical for building strong bones and regulating blood clots.
- Brussels sprouts, like other brassica varieties, produce a unique chemical called sulforaphane. This compound has powerful anticancer properties, and also helps defend against other diseases.
So your parents were telling the truth: brussels sprouts are good for you. Now, to make them tasty.
There are countless ways to prepare brussels sprouts, so I’m not going to give you an abridged cooking guide. Rather, I’m going to share my favorite takes on them:
Kimchi: Being so similar to cabbage, brussels sprouts are a perfect host to Korean flavors. I don’t actually make kimchi with sprouts, but instead buy kimchi from the store. Chop it up and pour some of the pickling liquid into a stir fry with ginger, garlic, and scallion, and you’re in for a treat. Here’s a delicious recipe from J. Kenji López-Alt.
Bacon and parmesan cheese: For a rustic take, it’s hard to beat adding diced bacon and fresh parmesan cheese to brussels sprouts. If you want to get fancy, I like to reduce red onions in worcestershire sauce and sugar to add even more complexity to the dish. But if you want to keep it simple, Diana Kuan’s recipe is a rock-solid.
Salt and pepper: Speaking of simple, brussels sprouts shine on their own. Olive oil, salt, and pepper are all you really need to unlock the natural flavor.
