Brussels Sprouts
Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera
T
he Brussels sprout is another much misun the sprouts grow. They will mature from the
derstood vegetable that often heads the ground up; pick off the leaves first when the
list of most avoided foods, along with tofu and sprouts form. Harvest the sprouts when ½ inch
liver! in diameter, when they are the sweetest. Brus-
This is possibly due to the best—or worst— sels sprouts’ bad rep may also be due to missteps
efforts of Anglo-Saxon cooks. As a child, I re when harvesting. The mildest and sweetest fl a
call these tight little cabbages being boiled to vor is developed after a light frost, which al
death (literally!) at my boarding school. Th ey lows plant strength to flow to the buds. Cover
lay there, very pale green and sogg y in their with bird netting and avoid handling when the
salted water, smelling strongly of sulfur. While plants are wet and most prone to disease.
sprouts can be steamed (never boiled!), I have
found that a slow roast will allow for both ten-
derness and sweetness to be developed to such The Numbers
a degree that it even won over one of our grand- Brussels sprouts pack a good measure of vitamin B 6 ,
children, who now actually puts in a request for thiamine, and potassium, along with cancer-fi ghting
them. glucosinolates.
Remember to pinch off the stem when it For each 100 g cooked (3.5 oz ; ¾ cup): 42 calories,
reaches 20 inches in height. Then heap soil 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 8 g carbohydrate, 4 g pro
around the stem (2–3 inches) to hold it up as tein, 4 g dietary fiber, 15 mg sodium
96 • GROWING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE
