Brussels Sprouts

At 1,000 Stone Farm, we love eating in season. And Fall is one of my favorite seasons to eat my way through! The nutty squashes baked with plenty of butter, hearty greens braised alongside a favorite main dish, sweet carrots, and creamy potatoes are just a few of my favorites.

But perhaps my all-time favorite vegetable to grow and cook – and EAT! – are Brussels sprouts. I even liked them as a kid. I know, who does that?! My Mom would serve them steamed and drowned in butter – yum. It’s a classic and simple preparation.

One hurdle to get over with the sprouts, though, is preparation. All those outer layers of leaves can be daunting. “Fine Cooking” gives a great tutorial on trimming and prepping them, but basically you want to cut off the tough end, which frees up the outer leaves for removal.

As for what to do with them once they’re prepped, there are so many great options: roast them, slice them and add them to stir fries, or braise them in broth with shallots.

A fantastic way to make them is sautéed in butter, garlic, and lemon juice. These lemony-buttery sprouts are so good by themselves, and even better on a homemade white pizza with goat cheese, caramelized onions, a healthy sprinkle of grated mozzarella, and fresh herbs. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

15-20 sprouts, trimmed and cut in half

2 Tablespoons butter or oil

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sprouts and let them sit uncovered for a few minutes.

Stir occasionally, with the pan still uncovered, and let the sprouts sit a few minutes in between each stir. They should begin to brown on the edges. Continue this way until they are mostly cooked, about 5-8 minutes, then drizzle about 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or more if you like a kick!) over the sprouts, add the garlic, and cover the pan to let them steam a bit with the heat on very low – or even turn it off and let them just mellow in their own steam. They should be softened, but not mushy.

Enjoy!