Food Friday: Hashed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Zest

Since I've become a flexitarian, I have discovered a TON of new recipes I want to share. So I've decided to post one each week, on Fridays. This way you can try them yourself at home over the weekend, when you don't have an excuse not to cook. :)

For my first "Food Friday", I'm going out on a limb with a fab recipe for brussels sprouts. For those of you who are about to stop reading because you don't like brussels sprouts, hear me out. You've never had sprouts like these and you just might change your mind.

Justyn loves brussels sprouts. He could just steam them, add a little salt & pepper, pop them in his mouth and be happy. Me? Not so much. This is not good for a marriage - for one person to love one thing, and the other person to not even like that thing. So, as a result, I am constantly trying to find new ways to make brussels sprouts so that I like them. (And bless his heart, Justyn has tried just about every way possible to make them, too.) I've already told you that I grew up being a picky eater, and I don't want to be a picky eater anymore. So, I will search high and low to find a great recipe for something that I don't like, so that afterward I can move that food from the "do not like" to the "like" column.

You see, the thing is, that I really want to like brussels sprouts. They're so cute, and healthy too. My problem is twofold: first, I have a really small mouth. Like, seriously, I had to have 4 permanent teeth pulled when I was a kid just so my teeth would all fit (not to mention the 4 wisdom teeth I had pulled a few years ago.) So, popping a whole sprout in my mouth is not fun. Sidenote: You'll probably start seeing this pattern with me where a lot of foods are concerned. I like pretty much everything to be bite-sized and well-chopped. It's why I avoid burgers and wraps, and I eat my pizza with a knife & fork. Anyway, the second part of the problem is that the sprouts are usually dryish and bland in the middle. We've tried to address these problems in our preparation: we've halved them, quartered them, steamed them and drenched them in butter, roasted them with olive oil - you name it, we've tried it.

... or so I thought... until a few weeks ago I came across a recipe in one of my vegetarian cookbooks for "Chinese Style Brussels Sprouts". I looked at the photo and thought to myself, "Those don't look like brussels sprouts. That looks like salad." I proceeded to read the recipe and discovered that the sprouts are thinly sliced - or "hashed," if you will. I was immediately intrigued for obvious reasons. In theory, such a preparation method could potentially address both my my issues. So, I tried the recipe and didn't care for the spices much. (For those of you who don't know, Chinese five spice powder tastes just like licorice - yuck!) But the texture was amazing and they were very flavorful so I filed it away in my "to be tweaked" recipe pile.

Less than a week later, I was browsing food articles on The New York Times website, and I saw this heading: The Brussels Sprouts Taste-Off. How serendipitous! It was yet another recipe for hashed sprouts with different spices and seasonings - just what I was looking for.

This is a great alternative green veggie recipe if you're tired of steamed broccoli. The chopping takes the longest, but once that part is done these actually cook very quickly. Be sure not to overcook them - they'll lose their bright green color and start to taste slightly bitter. Also, don't skip the zest thinking the lemon juice soak is sufficient. The zest really adds a nice brightness to the dish. Brussels sprouts are a great vegetable for vegetarians or others who don't eat much meat. They are an excellent source of protein (unlike many other veggies) and are also an excellent source of vitamin C (1/2 cup is over 60% of your DV). They also provide some vitamin A, Iron,and a smidge of Calcium.

Hashed Brussels Sprouts With Lemon Zest

Adapted from The New York Times

Yield 5 servings
Time 25 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus grated zest of 1 lemon
1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds or poppy seeds (I used poppy seeds)
1/8 cup dry white wine or vermouth (I think you can sub chicken or veggie broth if you don't have wine - just don't oversalt it)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Cut bottoms off sprouts, and discard. Halve sprouts lengthwise, and thinly slice them crosswise. The slices toward the stem end should be thinner, to help pieces cook evenly. As you work, transfer slices into bowl with lemon juice and toss frequently to coat. When all sprouts are sliced toss them in juice and separate leaves. Leaf separation is important for cooking time. (Recipe can be prepared to this point and refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 hours.)

2. When ready to serve, heat oil and butter over high heat in a skillet large enough to hold all sprouts. When very hot add sprouts, garlic and seeds, and cook, stirring often, until sprouts are wilted and lightly cooked, but still bright green and crisp, about 4 minutes. Some leaves might brown slightly.

3. Add wine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Turn off heat, add salt and pepper to taste and stir in the lemon zest, reserving a little for top of dish. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining zest and serve.