Brussels - a Venerable Brassica

The Brussels sprout itself remains deeply unfashionable, unloved and in possession of an image problem that even Max Clifford would be pushed to fix.

There are few vegetables as heavily and regularly denigrated as the poor old Brussels sprout. Even René Redzepi, chef of Noma in Copenhagen and the current poster boy for high-end cooking, took time during a talk on the London stop of his current book tour to take a pop at poor Brussels’. Twice in 40 minutes in fact. What does he know? 

Actually to be fair Redzepi’s hatred of the this venerable Brassica and member of the cabbage family, the ancestors of which are thought to have been cultivated in ancient Rome, is most likely beyond his control if the most recent research is to be believed. A dislike of Brussels is most likely a chemical reaction - unless of course you were tied up and repeatedly pelted with them as a child – according to the latest findings by Spanish scientists.

But whatever the cause and despite the fashion in recent years for British chefs to serve sprout tops – the sprout’s leaves that were once only fed to the animals – the Brussels sprout itself remains deeply unfashionable, unloved and in possession of an image problem that even Max Clifford would be pushed to fix.  

You don’t need to be a devoted food historian to guess how the sprout got its name, although there is disagreement about whether they really were, as is the popular notion, first grown in what today is Belgium, from the 13th century onwards, as the first written reference to them does not appear until 1587. What is undeniable is that they enjoyed popularity in the southern Netherlands long before they first appeared in French and English gardens towards the end of the 18th century.

Although in season from October until March, the Brussels sprouts prominence in British kitchens tends to come at Christmas, a tradition that stretches back only as far as the early Victorian era - as many current Christmas traditions do - when they first appeared with newly established roast turkey, goose having begun to fall out of fashion, in a Belgian style with a buttery sauce over them.

Part of the Brussels’ problem is the traditional tendency to boil the bejesus out of them, removing all of the nutrients and much of their sweet, nutty flavour in the process and being left with little more than a bitter overcooked bite-sized cabbage. 

To avoid this try steaming them, which they’ll do in 5 – 10 minutes; or cut them in half or thinly slice them and stir-fry them, they’re particularly good cooked this way with the fat from pancetta or bacon. Or if you want to go full Crimbo, as you should this time of year, I’m a big fan of this recipe with butter, bacon and chestnuts. 

Also worth your attention:

The Tyranny of the Christmas Pudding

How to Cook a Turkey

Chocolate and Chestnut Yule Log

Pear and cranberry chutney