Brussel Sprouts With Drizzled Balsamic Glaze

I know most people think “Ewwww,” “Yuck!” or “Gross!” whenever the thought of brussels sprouts come up, BUT…

THESE FRESH BRUSSELS SPROUTS ARE DELICIOUS!!! 😀

The secret, I think, to really GREAT brussels sprouts is that you have to make sure that they don’t get overcooked. When brussels sprouts are overcooked, chemicals are released that emit a bitter taste and pungent, sulfurous smell.

Sounds gross, doesn’t it?

Well, that’s a good reason to not overcook brussels sprouts and to learn to cook them properly!

Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable and known to stop the growth of cancer cells, specifically breast, cervical, uterine, liver, lung and colon. On top of that, if eaten three times per week, cruciferous vegetables reduce the likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer and cardiovascular disease.

So let me tell you my favorite brussels sprout recipe. It’s simple with a little bang of flavor found in the balsamic glaze.

Are you ready?

Great!

Here we go!

Brussel Sprouts With Drizzled Balsamic Glaze

The best way to start this recipe is to buy good quality produce. I purchased fresh, firm, green organic brussels sprouts. My logic is less chemicals means less bad stuff to mess up the natural workings of my body.

Start by cutting the ends off of the brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves.

Some people like to cut an “X” at the top of the brussels sprout to help the water get between the leaves more easily and to aid in more even cooking. I skip this step and everything seems to be clean and cooks evenly anyway.

Soak brussels sprouts in water for five minutes. You can keep the water running softly over the brussels sprouts in a colander that sits inside a large bowl or just soak them in a large pot of water. This step gets all the little dirt particles out from between the brussels sprout leaves.

In a pan, start caramelizing the diced onion and minced garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil.

Now to a large pot, like the one you use to cook spaghetti noodles, add water and start it boiling. Then add the cleaned brussels sprouts to the boiling water to cook about six minutes. When finished, the brussels sprouts will still be quite firm and probably not cooked all the way.

After six minutes, drain the brussels sprouts in a colander. They will be a bright, fresh green color and the heads will still be very intact into tight heads.

Now carefully cut each brussels sprout in half lengthwise.

Add a teaspoon of butter to the caramelizing onions and garlic. This is optional, but it adds a nice flavor and is only a teaspoon, so it’s not to the excess.

Now I make the glaze so it can be set aside for a minute to let the flavors come together. In a very small bowl add the balsamic vinegar and a pinch (quite literally a pinch) of dill weed.

To the balsamic vinegar, add pepper and hot sauce. Mix it up and let it set for a minute while you finish the brussels sprouts.

Add the brussels sprouts to the pan with the onion-garlic mixture.

Stir and mix the brussels sprouts with the onion-garlic mixture on medium heat.

The secret is to only stir and mix the ingredients together for a few minutes to marry the flavors and coat the brussels sprouts with onions and garlic. Remember, we don’t want to cook them too much or they will become bitter tasting.

After the brief heating-mixing, it’s time to eat! Serve them piping hot!

If cooked correctly, the brussels sprouts will have a nutty, earthy flavor. The onions add a little sweetness and the garlic adds a nice warmth.

Sprinkle the balsamic glaze over the brussels sprouts and stir.

It’s a perfect addition to round up the dish with a little zing from the vinegar and heat from the hot sauce. Neither is too overpowering for the brussels sprouts and since only a small amount is used, it also only adds to the flavor instead of running off with it.

Delicious?

Oh yeah!

Brussels sprouts with drizzled balsamic glaze is A.B.S.O.L.U.T.E.L.Y. delicious. 😀

Go ahead and try it!

 

Brussel Sprouts With Drizzled Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients:

18 brussel sprouts (approximately 9 ounces)
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon butter (optional)
6-10 cups of water – depends on the size of the pot

Glaze
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 (pinch) teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon black ground pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce (like Tabasco)

Directions:

Cut the ends off the brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Soak brussels sprouts in water for five minutes. You can keep the water running softly over the brussels sprouts in a colander that sits inside a large bowl or just soak them in a large pot of water.

In a pan, start caramelizing the diced onion and minced garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil on medium-low heat.

Boil water in a large pot. Add the cleaned brussels sprouts to the boiling water. Cook for 6 minutes. They will still be quite firm and probably not cooked all the way. Drain brussels sprouts in a colander. Carefully cut each brussels sprout in half lengthwise.

Add 1 teaspoon of butter to the caramelizing onions and garlic. This is optional.

To make the glaze, in a very small bowl add the balsamic vinegar and dill weed, pepper and hot sauce. Mix and set aside.

Add the brussels sprouts to the pan with the onion-garlic mixture. Stir and mix the brussels sprouts with the onion-garlic mixture on medium heat for a couple minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle the balsamic glaze over the brussels sprouts. Stir. Serve hot.