Dueling Brussels sprouts: Via Carota's brilliant salad versus Ottolenghi's black-garlic, brown-butter beauties
Ottolenghi’s Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter and Black Garlic prepared from ‘Ottolenghi Simple’
By Leslie Brenner
Help me decide: What’s the best way to eat Brussels sprouts?
Last night, friends came over, and I made the marvelous Insalata di Cavoletti from the Via Carota cookbook. It was like a delightful farewell to autumn, as it stars apples, walnuts and pomegranate seeds; small chunks of aged cheese (Manchego or Parmigiano) add richness and umami, and a brilliant, shalloty sherry vinaigrette pulls it all together. It’s the last chance to eat it this season; pomegranate are still in many stores (they’re harvested through November, but they keep a long time).
READ: Greatest vegetable rehabilitation ever: Brussels sprouts’ 23-year rise to culinary power
The downside: The salad is a wee bit labor intensive, as it requires taking the leaves off the Brussels sprouts.
The upside: It’s really good. It’s also ideal for entertaining, as you prep most of it in advance — dismantle the Brussels sprouts and put the leaves in a bag in the fridge; toast the walnuts; liberate the pomegranate seeds; make the fantastic, shalloty Via Carota sherry vinaigrette. (You get twice as much vinaigrette as you need, so that’s a plus, too, as it keeps a few days and it’s excellent on any green salad.). The vinaigrette gets massaged into the B sprout leaves a few minutes before you serve it, which relaxes the leaves.
RECIPE: Via Carota’s Insalata di Cavoletti
And then there’s Ottolenghi’s umami-happy, roasted blockbuster, from Ottolenghi Simple. Hard to argue with it (almost seems like the match is fixed!). It’s easy to make, crunchy with pepitas, a little creamy and rich from tahini. Caraway seeds add a measure of romance and mystery.
Halve the sprouts, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast. Crush caraway seeds with black garlic and thyme leaves, add that to a pan of browned butter, toss in the sprouts and pumpkin seeds and mix it all up over heat. Add lemon juice, drizzle on tahini and serve.
The two contenders are so different — and both amazing. Try them both, and tell us who wins.
RECIPE: Ottolenghi’s Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter and Black Garlic