Rachel Allen: five ways to serve up brussels sprouts

Grown in Ireland and available everywhere at this time of the year, why is the world split into sprout lovers and haters? The chef shares her top tips on how to win with this divisive vegetable 

Rachel Allen with Benji. Picture: Joanne Murphy

Are you a fan of brussels sprouts? Are you one of the many, vociferous haters of this vilified vegetable? Or maybe you feel that they are an essential addition to the Christmas table - but to be ignored for the rest of the year.

I come from a long line of traditional Christmas brussels sprouts eaters: boiled into sogginess and often accidentally carbonised in the oven while everything else finished cooking. They were served up for every childhood Christmas at my grandparents’ house.