"brussel sprouts" news and stories

Vegetables just got a little bit more interesting as the first new vegetable to hit store shelves in nearly a decade is making its debut in the U.K., the Daily Mail reported.

A cross between Brussels sprouts and curly kale, the new vegetable -- called the flower sprout -- is a small purple-and-green sprout with curly leaves. (Frankly, from the photo in the Daily Mail, we think it looks a lot more like kale than the sprout, but that's just us.)

It will be sold at Marks & Spencer grocery stores in Britain starting Monday -- the first new veggie added to the roster since tenderstem broccoli came on the scene in 2002, the Mail reported.

• Free Press writers share "odes to ugly vegetables." First up, the vegetable most often fed to dogs under the table -- Brussels sprouts.
• Next ode: kohlrabi -- the sweet cousin of the cabbage family that is yet to be popularized in this country.
• A tribute to the "alien soccer ball" that is celery root.
• Consider high-end liquors as gifts this holiday season. No Black Friday crowds, and it is so much better than a hand-knit sweater.
• Vermont Smoke and Cure produces nitrate-free bacon that was described by the New York Times as having "... possibly the finest (bacon) on the planet."

I know, I know. You're thinking "Blech, those yucky things my mom was always telling me to eat." Perhaps something close to that, anyway.

I think these poor little guys have gotten a bad rap. This cousin of the cabbage can be really good if prepared well. Maybe your mom over cooked them when you were growing up. That makes the sprouts release sulfur compounds which definitely make them hard to swallow.

I personally love the things. They just need a little love to taste as good as they are for you. Brussel sprouts are high in vitamins A and C, folic acid and fiber. There are even studies that link the veggies to prevention of colon cancer.

Brussel sprouts, or brussels sprouts, got their name because they were first cultivated in the Brussels area. That doesn't mean you can't add them your Irish feast.

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When my sister came to visit last week, the first thing she asked me after hoping into my car at the train station was, "Do you have any brussel sprouts?" This might sound like a weird question, but the last two times she's stopped in Philly I just happened to have roasted brussel sprouts in the fridge. Sadly, this time around I didn't have any (although I had thought briefly about stopping to get some just the day before she arrived) and while we ate well while she was here (she makes a mean roasted sweet potato) I had started to develop a mean yen for some roasted brussel sprouts.

Last Thursday I finally slaked my thirst, as it were, with a pound of sprouts from my local produce market. I trimmed the ends off, sliced them in half and tossed them in a roasting pan with half a chopped onion, crushed garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. They went into the oven at 375 degrees for about half an hour, until they were browned and tender. I finished them with a little squeeze of lemon and some chopped, toasted walnuts. Truly one of the best things ever.

I've been searching for side dishes to go along with my Easter ham, and since Brussel sprouts have always been one of my favorites I was pretty excited to see this picture on Tastespotting. At first I thought it was simply Brussel sprouts tossed with bacon, but that is actually dried sole that you see crisped up to perfection.

Rasa Malaysia put together this stir-fry which is simple to prepare, yet has layers of flavor throughout, including the use of thinly sliced garlic, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Though we usually buy our sole fresh or frozen, it is also available in dried form - check with your local Asian supermarket if you have trouble finding it. You can view the entire recipe at her website.

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