– Sauteed Brussels Sprouts – one of my favorite Thanksgiving sides recipes! –
I love Brussels sprouts, so I dig up my favorite Brussels sprouts recipe the moment I see these mini cabbage-looking guys pop up at my local farmers market. Something about their diminutive size and bright green color just tickles me. Don’t tell anyone, but I have dreams where I’m rolling around in a huge bin full of Brussels sprouts, tossing them in every direction like confetti. Does that make me weird?
Instead of buying Brussels sprouts loose, I buy them on the stalk – that way I get the joy of popping the little buggers off with a paring knife. In my experience, they tend to last longer if you buy them on the stalk, since you’re able to stick the end in a bowl of water, much like you would do with a bouquet of flowers. I’ve kept my Brussels sprouts fresh for over a week this way.
Since I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, I tend to like my savory dishes with a touch of fruit to add a sweet element to the overall flavor. This Brussels sprouts recipe, however, is more tart than sweet. The tartness of the apricots rounds out the bitter Brussels sprouts perfectly. If you’re feeling festive, you can substitute dried cranberries for the apricots, making a more traditional Thanksgiving dish. This recipe is can easily be made vegan-friendly by using olive oil in place of bacon fat.
Another thing I love about this dish – it fries up well the next day for breakfast. Do I hear a collective wince, followed by the question: “Brussels sprouts for breakfast?” Hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
Thanksgiving Sides Recipes: Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Persimmons, Apricots, and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried apricots chopped coarsely
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts trimmed
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat (or butter for vegetarian, or olive oil for vegan)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- 2 whole Fuyu persimmons chopped
Instructions
- Place apricots in a bowl with warm water and let sit for 20 minutes. Drain apricots and set aside, discarding water.
- Wash and dry Brussels sprouts. Slice thinly using a chef's knife, or shred using the shredder disk attachment of your food processor. (FYI, this is different from the slicing disk.)
- Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and add walnuts, agitating occasionally. Toast until they darken in color a bit and become fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- In a medium saute pan, melt bacon fat (or oil of your choice). Add the Brussels sprouts, salt, pepper, persimmon, and apricots, stirring well, cooking just until the Brussels sprouts turn bright green and are tender to the bite, about 5 minutes. Stir in walnuts and cook for 1 minute. Serve hot.
Nutrition
This content was originally posted on FearlessFresh.com.