My husband and I belong to a local produce co-op. We joined up after a very disappointing visit to the downtown Farmer’s Market. What can I say, when I go to a Farmers Market, I want to see fruits and vegetables that didn’t come from a grocery store. Sure it’s beautiful and shiny, but I didn’t drive downtown to buy stuff I could have bought at the local grocery store a mile away. I’m convinced we went on the wrong day.
Joining the co-op proved somewhat challenging. As in I had no idea what to do with kale, turnips, chard, daikon radishes and most vegetables that weren’t potatoes, tomatoes or corn. Don’t even get me started on Brussels Sprouts. I’ve only eaten one Brussels Sprout in my life and that was only because I was trying to set a good example. So, what in the world am I supposed to do with all these amazing locally and organically grown, non-grocery store purchased produce? Enter the inter web.
So many Brussels Sprout recipes to be made and I happened on the most amazing recipe on the first try. Lucky me or rather thank goodness our co-op provides links to amazing recipes for users such as myself that don’t normally incorporate a variety of vegetables into their diet unless forced to do so.
Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts with Honey and Sriracha Lime Sauce – aka The Best Brussels Sprouts recipe ever. I made a few adjustments.
Serves 2 to 4
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (or to taste)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- Juice of 1 large lime
- Salt
- Vegetable oil for frying – I use olive oil for flash frying
- Trim the stem end of the sprouts and gently separate the leaves with your fingers, collecting them in a large bowl. When you reach the heart of the sprout (where it’s tough to pry off the remaining leaves), add the heart to the bowl with the leaves. (I quarter the Brussels Sprouts. The truth is since this was the first time I was eating Brussels Sprouts, I didn’t want to eat big chunks in the event that I should hate them and be forced to set a good example for our 5-year-old. Setting a good example has been known to induce my gag reflex.)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sriracha, honey and lime juice. Taste and add more sriracha or honey if you like. Set aside.
- Set about 2 inches of oil in a large (I can’t do this, I just add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan – more of a flash fry than a deep fry. There is something about deep-frying vegetables that seems to defeat the purpose of the vegetable itself. I still flash fry them until they leaves and hearts are crispy.), heavy pot over medium heat. Heat until a Brussels sprout leaf begins to sizzle and crisp as soon as you add it to the oil. Fry the sprouts in batches, using a screen to protect you from sputtering oil and keeping your face away from the pot as the sprouts cook. Remove the sprouts with a slotted spoon after 30 seconds to a minute, when crisp and brown. Drain them on a double layer of paper towels while you fry the rest of the sprouts.
- Once all the sprouts are fried, transfer them to a large bowl and sprinkle them generously with salt. Toss gently to combine. Working quickly, drizzle some of the sauce over the sprouts and toss again to coat lightly. Taste, add more sauce if necessary, and serve immediately, before they wilt!
Thanks to our co-op, food52.com and the contributor for this recipe. It has completely changed my view of Brussels Sprouts. Life will never be the same.
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Thank you so much for the candid feedback. I will continue to do my best reviewing spelling and grammatical errors. Have a great day!