Currabinny Cooks: Brussels sprouts are delicious, especially in these dishes
Sprout Tarte Tatin is a delicious way to enjoy Brussels sprouts.Â
The modern cultivated sprouts may have originated in 13th century Flanders, but they have definitely found their true home on these islands. Britain and Ireland are the biggest consumers of sprouts per capita: nowhere else are they as beloved (and sometimes loathed) as here. These days, steamed, sautéed and stir-fried sprouts have helped drive the popularity of the vegetable, convincing sprout sceptics that they can be rather delicious. They’re also highly adaptable. And they aren’t just a festive side dish. For those who insist on boiling them, there remains the contentious matter of whether a cross should be cut into its base. While some cooks believe this age-old tradition helps the vegetable cook evenly, others feel it makes no difference.
We don’t do that as we feel their middles should retain a little bite. In fact, the tradition of cutting a cross in the base of a sprout might have less to do with culinary technique and more to do with superstition. In Medieval times, it was believed that evil spirits and demons lived between the leaves of the vegetable, and they would enter anyone who ate them, making them ill. A cross-cut into the base of the sprouts was thought to drive evil spirits away.
