• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 756 0

on the other hand, compresses into a cup easily, resulting in less volume. At the beginning of the harvest season, greens have lighter stems, yielding a greater volume of leaves per pound. At the end of the season, though, the stems are woody and heavy, yielding a lesser volume of leaves per pound. The solution to this problem? Use more or less greens, depending on what you have on hand. Use your judgment, and don’t worry about getting the measurements exactly right.

You can use kale, collards, and mustard greens interchangeably in most recipes. Collards seem to require a little extra cooking, in my opinion, so adjust the timing as needed when swapping greens in a recipe.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are gaining popularity. A good indication of this trend is that they are becoming available almost year-round in the supermarket, whereas not so long ago the supply ended around the first of the year. Their rise in appeal may have something to do with the fact that many people have discovered that their unruly flavor can be tamed by roasting.

Unruliness can be avoided entirely if you harvest your own Brussels sprouts or buy fresh ones (since the strong flavors develop in storage) and do not overcook them. The flavor also benefits from a light frost; red- or purple-tinged leaves are a good sign that the sprouts have experienced weather cold enough to improve their flavor.

Brussels sprouts do come from Brussels, or at least Belgium, where the plant was developed as a dwarf cultivar of savoy cabbage. The “sprouts,” which emerge from the tall stalk, are made up of tightly packed leaves, each resembling a miniature cabbage head.

Availability

Freshly harvested Brussels sprouts appear in eastern markets in the fall and generally last through the end of December. The harvest season in coastal California is year-round, with both spring and fall crops.

Storage

Since Brussels sprouts withstand the cold well, there is no reason to harvest them until the ground begins to freeze. Sprouts will keep in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator or root cellar for 3 to 5 weeks; they keep longest in damp, cool conditions (near 32°F, with 90 to 95 percent humidity). An excellent, low-fuss way to store the Brussels sprouts you grow yourself is to lift the whole stalk out of the garden, strip off the leaves, and hang the stalk from the rafters of your root cellar.

How to Buy

Brussels sprouts grown in warmer climates tend to be sweetest when picked small. In cold climates, Brussels sprouts taste best after a few frosts, when the leaves are tinged purple or red. Select compact heads with no hint of yellow. The cut end should be dry, not slimy, and green, not dark brown. If you are picking the sprouts individually from a bin, select ones that are uniform in size so they will cook evenly.

Preparation

Trim away the ends of each sprout. Remove any damaged or yellowed leaves. Cut in halves or quarters as needed to make them uniform in size. If you’re going to add them raw to salads or use them in a stir-fry or sauté, you can slice the sprouts into thin ribbons (chiffonade).

Cooking Ideas

The cabbagey flavor of Brussels sprouts is most easily tamed by roasting. But don’t stop there. Stir-fries with garlic, ginger, and sesame oil do wonders for the flavor. Brussels sprouts are also excellent sautéed, particularly when paired with strong flavors, such as smoked bacon or sausage. They are lovely braised and can be finished with a touch of cream or mustard.

Brussels Sprouts Math

1 pound Brussels sprouts = 3 to 3½ cups whole sprouts = 3 cups halves

Cabbage: Green, Red, Savoy, and Chinese

I regard green cabbage as the workhorse of the winter kitchen. It is the backbone of winter salads and stir-fries. It melts into sweet tenderness when cooked slowly in braises or soups. It is easily pickled as sauerkraut. If I had to choose just one vegetable to get me through the winter, I would probably choose cabbage.

Long-keeping cabbage comes in four basic forms. Green cabbage, which has a white center,