It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. I might be serving brussels sprouts. I hate brussels sprouts. Like seriously hate them. For years people tried to convince me I just hadn't tried the right recipe.
They were right. Turns out you need to deep fry brussels sprouts and then cover them in sauce. Here's the world's best brussels sprouts recipe. For people who hate brussels sprouts.
Let me bring you all back to an unusually cool night in September of 2016. I was on vacation with family in Tofino, British Columbia. After a day of fall surfing, complete with wetsuits and burning lungs, we all warmed up and headed to a local restaurant that had been recommended.
Shelter. (no, this isn't a sponsored post, the restaurant is a very important character in this mystery)
We weren't sure if we were going to get in because it was packed with other people who probably didn't surf all day and therefore in my mind were not as deserving of food as we were. I stink eyed people who seemed to be lingering over their coffees but they just stink eyed me back. Which I think was very rude and not at all in keeping with stink eye protocol around the world.
When someone gives you the stink eye you recoil in fear and get the hell out of sight. Anyhow. We were finally shown a table at the back of the outdoor patio, where we grabbed our menus and started perusing.
British Columbia surprised me in that I thought there would be a whole lot of vegetarian options in the restaurants there but there weren't. I'm not a vegetarian so I didn't care. I was just surprised. I can't remember what I ordered for my meal that night. I can't remember it one iota. What I can remember is what we ordered as an appetizer. I remember it vividly for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is, I died from it.
There's no other explanation for me liking brussels sprouts. I must be dead.
The exact day I died was September 21st. The day my family outvoted me and ordered deep fried brussels sprouts with a parsley/honey dressing.
Brussels sprouts. I ate them. I loved them. I'm so ashamed.
Here's my history with brussels sprouts in case you don't know.
We left the restaurant, and everyone else resumed their vacation as if nothing had happened. As if the world hadn't split open, as if pigs weren't flying, hell wasn't freezing over and horses weren't growing horns.
I did the only thing I could do; when I got home I did a bit of research, tracked down who the chef at Shelter restaurant was, found his email address and sent him a quick and possibly alarming email.
"HALPPPP. HATE ... LOVE ... YOU ... EAT ... WAHHHHH ... BRUSSELSPROUTS! , NEVERWANNABALSAMICBAKEBARFSOAWFULDEVILHEADACK. SNARFSLNGIEBKIH ... ~ your fan, Karen Bertelsen".
Remarkably, chef Matty Kane, of Shelter restaurant is fluent in Frantic and he knew exactly what I meant in my email. He sent me the recipe right away.
Ingredients
- 100 g apple cider vinegar
- 25 g peeled shallot
- 30 g peeled garlic
- 40 g curly parsley
- 100 g honey
- 50 g olive oil
- 160 g grapeseed oil
- 5 g smooth dijon mustard
- 2 g salt
Instructions
- Use either a blender or a an immersion blender to combine all the dressing ingredients thoroughly.
- Put prepped brussels sprouts into deep fryer set at 350 degrees for 2 minutes.
- Toss with enough apple cider vinaigrette to lightly coat and top with fresh grated parmesan & toasted sourdough breadcrumbs.
- Serve immediately. Seriously. Right away.
Turns out there is a way I like brussels sprouts. I like them if you deep fry them. And I like them if you toss them in a delicious apple cider vinaigrette.
I think it's important to clarify my position on brussels sprouts at this point in time. I like brussels sprouts.
But only when they don't taste like brussels sprouts.
To my Canadian followers, think about having these for Thanksgiving. You can prep the sauce right now and even cook the sprouts a day in advance. Just drop them in the deep fryer again prior to serving for a minute to recrisp them.
Happy Thanksgiving long weekend my fellow Canadians. See you all again on Wednesday with the conclusion of my great floor debacle.
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Did you deep fry them or pan fry them in the cast iron skillet? I got rid of my deep fryer years ago.
I love Brussels sprouts anyway so maybe I should just roast the little buggers and serve with the sauce.
OMG! Just got back from the Tofino area where we celebrated my mom’s birthday at Shelter. And yes, we ordered the Brussels sprouts. And we’re dying for a recipe. Thank you!
I thought for reason it had closed! Glad to hear they're still serving. :) ~ karen!
Hahahahaha! Has anyone mentioned that you forgot to include the actual Brussel Sprouts in the ingredients list?? You really don’t like them, do you?! How many of the little devils would you include?
I did??!! hahahahahaha. Yeah, no I hate them. ~ karen!
Ha ha. I have eaten at the Shelter a few times and had their Brussels sprouts. I literally just searched the web to see if I could find the recipe!
Thank you!
But….what is alternative to deep fryer? Slow roast? Pan fry?
Hi Jenn! They really are SO good. If you don't have a deep fryer the two alternatives would be using a pan like a deep fryer and filling it with oil, or as you say, just pay frying them. It won't be quite the same, but will work better than slow roasting. Another option would be to cook them prior to pan frying them so they only have to fry for a short amount of time to crisp up. ~ karen!
Thank you for saving my day today.
We love shelter and visit it about 6x a year. We were craving their BS today and instead of driving the 2 hours, we will make our own! Cheers!
Literally the only way I will eat brussels sprouts. I was on a mission to SECURE this recipe by the time I got home, lol. They still aren't quite as good as the actual Shelter sprouts for some reason but they're pretty darn good! I'm so happy it helped you out. ~ karen
Hi. I can’t find Brussel sprouts in the ingredient list. Would that be a pound? Or pound and a half? Bought everything to make tonight, I think I’ll try a pound.
And, cut them in half before frying?
Thanks!
Shoot, sorry Susie! I just got this comment. I hope it turned out O.K. You only have/had to cut them in half if they're especially big. ~ karen!
OMG
I HATE SPROUTS
Except today I had seconds!
I don’t have a deep fat fryer so I oven roasted in loads of olive oil
I am in LOOOOVVVEEEEE!
Wow. I've done them this way in the oven as well and barely made it through my second serving. You'd never believe how good they are deep fried. ~ karen!
There's another way to cook them that doesn't involve a deep fryer. It DOES, however, involve a metric ton of butter. Saute them with salt and pepper in a pat of butter, adding another pat every time they absorb the previous pat, and I mean just keep adding butter, and cook them, stirring occasionally, until they are almost black. Seriously very very dark, so that your guests will think you screwed up (or if you were a chef like me your customers would try to send them back because they look so overcooked.) When in doubt, add more butter. Finally, add a good hit of lemon juice. I've never met a brussels sprouts hater who was not instantly converted by these. They are sort of nutty and otherwise taste of butter and lemon and caramelization.
I just made this last night and... I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever eaten brussel sprouts and actually enjoyed them. And now I feel bad because this whole time I thought the problem was the brussel sprouts, but it turns out it was just how I was cooking them :)
I love Brussel Sprouts! (sorry, but I do). I also really enjoyed my weekend on the west side of Vancouver Island back in the 70's. We couldn't afford the Wickaninnish Inn back then, although we spent a pleasant couple of hours at the bar, so we stayed at some cheap motel in Tofino and ate at the Whale's Tale. Loved that restaurant and still have the menu from our trip. Thanks for bringing back pleasant memories!
I thought I left a comment, but I don't see it. Anyway, et tu, Karen?
I did do a rough equivalent of the dressing recipe for those in the U.S.:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs. peeled shallots
2 Tbs. peeled garlic
3 Tbs. curly parsley
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup grape seed oil
1 tsp. smooth Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
Combine all ingredients thoroughly in a blender. Don't waste on Brussels sprouts!
i thought.... ooo i'll make these tonight. and then i realized the recipe is all in grams. i'm not too lazy to gather all the ingredients and make the food but i am too lazy for math coversions even with google and siri by my side. alas.
My mother (and I presume alot of mothers, used to overcook sprouts and cabbage and any other vegetable come to think of it) I totally destroyed any amount of nutrition and any hope of getting a vhild to eat it! I have just recently duscovered that brussell sprouts are actually at their best almost raw. Cut into quarters and fry with garlic slithered almonds and chilli flakes. Any type if oil you prefer.
Delicious! I have converted many who used to despise them.
I knew you'd come around.
Shut your mouth, I've done no such thing. This is an anomaly. I might even change my mind about liking this recipe. I'm sketchy like that. ~ karen!
As always, highly amused by this tale and though I might share another brussel sprouts option - in case you run out of time for frying and need to do a raw option. Yes, I know, it's a bit out there, a cold and raw sprouts dish, but we tried it last year as we felt adventurous and it blew my mind. Vinaigrette similar to yours, but added bonus of pecans and cranberries...
Ingredients:
¼ cup Olive oil 60 mL
¼ cup Apple cider vinegar 60 mL
3 tbsp Maple syrup 45 mL
2 tbsp Minced shallot 30 mL
1 tbsp Dijon mustard 15 mL
½ tsp Salt 2 mL
¼ tsp Pepper 1 mL
8 cups Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts (about 1 lb/500 g)
½ cup Toasted pecans 125 mL
1/3 cup Dried cranberries
1. Whisk together oil, vinegar, maple syrup, shallot, mustard, salt and pepper. Toss Brussels sprouts with vinaigrette to coat.
(Make-Ahead: Complete recipe to this step; cover and keep chilled up to 1 day.)
2. Stir in pecans and cranberries just before serving.
Fast and easy and delicious.
Happy Thanksgiving :-)