The Thing About Brussels Sprouts
In the same plant family as cabbage, broccoli and kale, Brussels sprouts have been cultivated in Belgium (hence the name) since the 1200′s.
Extremely high in Vitamin C and a good source of iron, a lot of people dislike Brussels sprouts, reporting that they have a bitter or sulphur-like flavor. The objectionable taste actually comes from a compound called sinigrin (CAS 3952-98-5), which is released when the vegetables are overcooked.
So to ensure mild, sweet-tasting Brussels sprouts, simply do not overcook them..
Brussels Sprouts and Ham in Mustard Cheese Sauce
Place washed, untrimmed Brussels sprouts in a covered steamer for 6-7 minutes until bright green but underdone. Shock the sprouts in ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the color.
Trim off the stems and peel away the outer leaves. You want the sprouts to be as uniform in size as possible, so you might cut the larger ones in half (or even in quarters) and leave the smaller ones whole.
Heat some fat (bacon grease, butter or leaf lard all work well) in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and Brussels sprouts and cook until both are well browned.
Add uncured ham and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add fresh cream and coarse mustard (preferably homemade) and simmer until it sprouts are fork-tender.
Add cheese such as raw-milk cheddar with caraway seeds and stir to combine. Add some chopped parsley for visual appeal if you like.
Season with sea salt, freshly-ground pepper and perhaps a few red pepper flakes and serve hot from the pan.
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- Brussels Sprouts and Ham in Mustard Cheese Sauce
This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet
lynn byrd said,
September 10, 2009 at 7:54 pm
My favorites! Will make this for company tomorrow.
Ren said,
September 10, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Bon apetit, Lynn! :)
Millie said,
September 10, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Love brussel sprouts! So this is a main dish?
Ren said,
September 10, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Healthy fats, CLAs, abundant proteins, vitamins & minerals. I felt satisfied & nourished having had this for dinner tonight :)
Bonnnie said,
September 10, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Well, I guess brussel sprouts have always been overcooked for me then. I will test your recipe out!
Ren said,
September 10, 2009 at 9:09 pm
When browned in butter, they should taste almost sweet & nut-like, never bitter or sulphurous
Rebecca said,
September 10, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Yum!
I’ve always loved Brussels sprouts. Add ham and cheesy mustard sauce and this sounds perfect!
Ren said,
September 10, 2009 at 10:23 pm
See, that’s what I thought too!
Thank you, Rebecca :-)
Kimi @ The Nourishing Gourmet said,
September 10, 2009 at 10:27 pm
I also love brussels sprouts. I was doing a lot of braised ones last year. So good. Thanks for sharing a simple and nourishing and frugal dish for the carnival! I always look forward to what you are going to share!
Ren said,
September 10, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Outrageous amounts of Vitamin C, anti-cancer properties.. steamed, braised, roasted – all good, and good for you.
Pennywise Thursday is one of my favorite days of the week – thanks, Kimi! :)
CageFree said,
September 10, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Yummy! We love brussels sprouts. The kids usually eat one or two raw while I’m prepping them. We usually roast them with some herbs, coconut oil and a dab of butter.
I never could understand why people said that they didn’t like them. I can’t imagine a bitter brussels sprout… How much do you have to cook them to do that to them??
Ren said,
September 10, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I spent almost my whole life thinking that I hated beets because the only ones I ever had were from a can. Anyone who has ever roasted a just-dug beet can tell you how astonishingly good they really are :-)
Eliza said,
September 10, 2009 at 11:09 pm
I like to steam my brussel sprouts and roll them in vinaigrette before putting them on skewers on the grill – heaven!
Ren said,
September 10, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Now that sounds good, Eliza!
Jenny @ Nourished Kitchen said,
September 11, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I LOVE Brussels Sprouts. They’re so yummy. I like to pan-fry mine and serve them with caramelized onions, walnuts, apples and piima cream. I’m looking forward to trying your recipe too.
Ren said,
September 11, 2009 at 7:10 pm
That sounds really good, Jenny – thank you!
m said,
September 12, 2009 at 8:23 am
your brussel sprouts look delicious – I am eagerly awaiting the first of the year to arrive at my farm share distribution!
Ren said,
September 12, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Thanks a lot!
Peggy said,
October 27, 2009 at 7:16 pm
My daughter loves them, but she’s the only one of us. I make them once a month when they are in season. But I’m thinking that ham and cheese could induce a sprout frenzy. Gotta try this. Thanks! I thought vitamin C cooked out, though.
Ren said,
October 27, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Excellent point! You can expect to lose about 25% through steaming and a little more during browning.
Thanks, Peggy!
Tuesday Twister « Edible Aria said,
January 7, 2010 at 10:09 pm
[...] Brussels Sprouts and Ham in Mustard Cheese Sauce Loved this. May try adding smoked black pepper next [...]