Cider-Braised Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Brussels Sprouts are enjoying a Renaissance in popularity, partly because of their cancer-fighting cruciferous nature, and partly because we’ve discovered how to cook them so they have a firm, nut-like, earthy sweetness far, far removed from any old-style mushy blandness.

Most Farmers Markets carry them at this time of year, and sometimes you can find them still on the stalk, like little cabbagy jewels. This recipe pairs healthful garlic with the sweetness of cider to make a Brussels Sprout dish so delicious that even my teenaged son wants seconds. One of my family’s all-time favorite autumn recipes.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups Brussels sprouts, tough ends sliced off and outer leaves removed
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup apple cider
salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

1. Cut an X in the bottom of each Brussels sprout. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and return to a boil. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes, until sprouts are tender but still firm.

2. Drain Brussels sprouts. Heat oil or butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add sprouts and garlic, and saute 5 minutes, stirring, until garlic is soft and fragrant and sprouts are coated with oil. Add cider and turn heat to high, stirring constantly, until cider is reduced in volume by half, making a sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

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