We celebrated Christmas in July with our fabulous friends over the weekend. Not only was it a huge hit (if I do say so myself) but I managed to cook Brussels sprouts and actually really enjoyed them, as did many of my other guests. I remember, as a child, being FORCED to sit at the dinner table till ALL of my sprouts were eaten or I wouldn't be able to leave. Geez, talk about child abuse! But really, all jokes aside, most parents wouldn't know how to cook a Brussels sprout for your child to actually enjoy them. I remember my Mum's (sorry Mummy) were DISGUSTING! Bitter, watery, grossness. So let me let you in on a little secret and then you too can perform miracles and get them munching away. Please Note: I don't own any real children, so my disclaimer is this: DO NOT ACTUALLY TELL THEM WHAT THEY ARE EATING AND IT'LL BE FINE.
Kids love soup, right? So blend up the sprouts and they won't blink an eyelid.
Firstly, I had some roasted vegetables left over from my dinner party. Potatoes, parsnips, carrots and the sprouts. See recipe below to get the inside scoop on delicious tasting sprouts.
Sprouts:
Wash and chop most of the white end off the sprouts, get rid of any lose outer leaves and also make little crosses on the bottom of them with a pairing knife. Next place in shallow fry pan, cover the sprouts with water (add salt). You want to boil them for only a short time approx 5 minutes, have a taste, their should be crunch in them definitely not soggy or bitter tasting.
Drain off in a colander, then place back into a fry pan with a samll knob of butter or get one step fancier and add a few rounds of thinly sliced pancetta! Mmmm delicious. Fry for 2-3 mins and serve.
Soup time
Ingredients
Array of roasted veg (parsnips, Brussels sprouts, potatoes and carrots work well. These work cooked in oil and were seasoned appropriately)
3-4 cups of Chicken stock or veg stock (reduced salt)
Pepper
Add all the roasted veg (approximately a sauce pan full - 5 cups of veg) into a pot, cover with stock (approximately 3-4 cups of stock) then simmer. It will not take long to cook because they have obviously been cooked previous but the longer you simmer the more the flavour will develop. Blend up to a nice smooth consistency (kids love smoothness) with a stick blender. Serve with a small dollop of sour cream or cream (at your discretion).
Never have sprouts tasted so good!
What was your most hated vegetable as a child? Has it become a favourite vegetable yet?
We celebrated Christmas in July with our fabulous friends over the weekend. Not only was it a huge hit (if I do say so myself) but I managed to cook Brussels sprouts and actually really enjoyed them, as did many of my other guests. I remember, as a child, being FORCED to sit at the dinner table till ALL of my sprouts were eaten or I wouldn't be able to leave. Geez, talk about child abuse! But really, all jokes aside, most parents wouldn't know how to cook a Brussels sprout for your child to actually enjoy them. I remember my Mum's (sorry Mummy) were DISGUSTING! Bitter, watery, grossness. So let me let you in on a little secret and then you too can perform miracles and get them munching away. Please Note: I don't own any real children, so my disclaimer is this: DO NOT ACTUALLY TELL THEM WHAT THEY ARE EATING AND IT'LL BE FINE.
Kids love soup, right? So blend up the sprouts and they won't blink an eyelid.
Firstly, I had some roasted vegetables left over from my dinner party. Potatoes, parsnips, carrots and the sprouts. See recipe below to get the inside scoop on delicious tasting sprouts.
Sprouts:
Wash and chop most of the white end off the sprouts, get rid of any lose outer leaves and also make little crosses on the bottom of them with a pairing knife. Next place in shallow fry pan, cover the sprouts with water (add salt). You want to boil them for only a short time approx 5 minutes, have a taste, their should be crunch in them definitely not soggy or bitter tasting.
Drain off in a colander, then place back into a fry pan with a samll knob of butter or get one step fancier and add a few rounds of thinly sliced pancetta! Mmmm delicious. Fry for 2-3 mins and serve.
Soup time
Ingredients
Array of roasted veg (parsnips, Brussels sprouts, potatoes and carrots work well. These work cooked in oil and were seasoned appropriately)
3-4 cups of Chicken stock or veg stock (reduced salt)
Pepper
Add all the roasted veg (approximately a sauce pan full - 5 cups of veg) into a pot, cover with stock (approximately 3-4 cups of stock) then simmer. It will not take long to cook because they have obviously been cooked previous but the longer you simmer the more the flavour will develop. Blend up to a nice smooth consistency (kids love smoothness) with a stick blender. Serve with a small dollop of sour cream or cream (at your discretion).
Never have sprouts tasted so good!
What was your most hated vegetable as a child? Has it become a favourite vegetable yet?