Brussels Sprout Saute

The Brussels sprout...small, green and chalk full of vitamins and minerals. It often has a bad rep in the veggie crowd, but not in my kitchen! Instead of being a kid that only ate peas and carrots (which I both despised), I was blessed with an open-minded mother who introduced my brother and I to all kinds of veggies.

Now fast forward 20 years...It certainly helps that my husband doesn’t despise the color green on his plate, but I have to admit, getting him to eat Brussels sprouts as much as he does makes me a Culinary Goddess! I thought I would share some of my favorite methods of serving these little cabbages as well as a new recipe that I created the other night.
 
It was a weeknight, which usually means I have about 30 minutes or less to get dinner on the table. So I turned on my thinking cap and decided to shred the sprouts in my food processor to speed up the cooking process. I didn’t shred them to a pulp, just enough to loosen up the leaves. Think coleslaw consistency, not pesto!
Before this recipe emerged, our favorite way to eat Brussels sprouts was by roasting them. I would actually steam them for 2 minutes (if you don’t have one of these, get one), then toss on a roasting pan with olive oil, salt, pepper and desired herbs/spices. Roast at 400F for about 30 minutes. By steaming the sprouts first, it helps soften the center, which Ryan prefers.

Another delicious way to serve these yummy baby cabbages is to start with halved, lightly steamed sprouts. Then throw in the saute pan with olive oil, salt, pepper and your favorite Dijon or brown mustard. Saute on med-high until a thin mustard crust forms around the sprouts (less than 5 minutes). I know, this sounds weird, but trust me!

But for now, the newest Brussels sprout recipe to my repertoire...
 

Brussels Sprout Saute

Yields: 6 side servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed, ends trimmed and thinly sliced (a food processor is great for this)
4 ounces shitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Balsamic vinegar
coarse salt and pepper

In a food processor, shred the Brussels sprouts with a few pulses. It is ok to have a few large chunks.

Heat the oil and butter over medium heat, add shallots and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the Brussels sprouts and saute until they start to brown and soften about 6 minutes, slightly cover the pan. Add in the mushrooms, tomatoes and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and saute another 3-4 minutes. Before serving drizzle with your favorite balsamic vinegar and gently stir.