The family had dinner over a friends house this weekend for a lovely vegan feast and these spectacular brussels sprouts were served as a side dish. The moment I saw their vibrant green selves rolling around in the pan with some chewy chopped dates, I knew I had to make it myself and share it.
Brussels sprouts seem to be a hit or miss veggie with most people. You either hate ‘em or you love ‘em. More times than not, people who hate ‘em haven’t had them cooked properly. Boiled or steamed to a mush will make any vegetable undesirable. Along with broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, turnips and bok choy, brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable, rich in sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates. When over-cooked, these veggies give off a pungent, sulpher-like flavor and aroma that make them taste bitter — which is why you may not like them! So… DON’T OVERCOOK THEM.
For this recipe, I lightly steamed the sprouts and then shocked them with very cold water to prevent them from over cooking and to keep their vibrant green color. No sulphur, no problem.
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, cut in half if large
- 6 dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ½ cup walnuts, toasted
- 1 TBS sesame oil
- 1 TBS sesame seeds
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Lightly steam brussels sprouts for about 7-10 minutes and shock with cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
- Heat oil in large pan and saute onions until soft and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add brussels sprouts, dates, sesame seeds and walnuts and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper while cooking.
