Brussels sprouts are an ancient food source

• Brussels sprouts are very ancient food source. Indeed the Romans used them as a latter day Alka Seltzer - heavy drinking statesman Cato (234-149BC) endorsed them as the best hangover remedy available.
• Captain Cook had his crew eat sprouts as well as limes and lemons to combat scurvy which was sensible of him because they contain three times as much vitamin C, weight for weight, as oranges.

Sprouts as fashionista food?

• After many years of being detested, denigrated and despised Brussels sprouts are suddenly chic.
• UK supermarkets report that sales are up more than 10 per cent this year, with "on the vine" (the stalk, actually) sales rising by 50 per cent.
• Michelin-starred chefs are adding them to their menus. Petrus's Marcus Wareing confits them in goose fat. Richard Corrigan of Lindsay House, Soho serves them with chestnuts and lardons to make a bed for pheasant.
• UKTV Food even has a program called Sexing Up the Sprout, in which chef James Martin does delicious things with sprouts. He has even developed a Brussels Sprout ice-cream and a cocktail called the "Sproutini" - made from vermouth, gin and sprouts deep frozen and used in place of ice cubes.
• As the Sprout Growers' Association slogan goes: "A sprout is for life, not just for Christmas."

If they are so cool we had better find out what they are…

• Brussels sprouts are just a sort of cabbage - they belong to the same family as the common cabbage but rather than one main head a large number of miniature head buds grow off a central stem.
• Germans call then rosenkohl – rose cabbage – and when they are growing they do look like little rosebuds.
• They are terribly good for you in that they contain large amounts of fibre, vitamins A and C and considerable quantities of folic acid, potassium and calcium. They are much higher in protein than most vegetables.
• You can boil them, steam them, roast them and when they are cooked well they have a sweet, nutty flavour and a nice crunchy mouth-feel.

If they are so fabulous why do people hate them?

• According to a 2002 survey, Brussels sprouts were ranked as the most disliked vegetable in Britain.
• The problem is not so much sprouts themselves but bad cooking of sprouts. When they are over cooked they release glucosinolate sinigrin which has a sulfurous odor – which is what people are generally objecting to when they say they don’t like sprouts.
• Generally 5 minutes in boiling water, maximum 10 minutes (if they are very big) minutes boiled or steamed is enough to cook them thoroughly, without overcooking and releasing the sinigrin.

Sprouts 101: how to pick a good sprout

• Choose small (the smaller the sweeter), firm, compact sprouts that are bright green in color.
• Yellow or wilted leaves are signs of age or mishandling.
• The older the sprout the stronger the cabbage like odor (even raw)
• Select sprouts that are similar in size. This will allow them to cook more evenly.

Sprouts 101 - how to prepare a sprout

• Remove any yellow or wilted outer leaves.
• Trim stem ends.
• There is controversy over whether to cut a shallow "x" in the base with a small, sharp knife. Those in favour say that it allows the heat to penetrate the solid core so that it cooks as quickly as the leaves. Those against say you are likely to cut too far and then the leaves fall off. Gordon says no. Nigella says yes. The choice is yours.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating – 2 lovely things to do with sprouts
Gordon Ramsay’s duck fat and pancetta brussels sprouts:
1kg sprouts
100g thinly sliced pancetta
4 Tablespoons goose fat
handful shredded fresh sage

• Blanch the Brussels sprouts in a pan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. – ie bring some water to the boil, chuck in the sprouts and when it comes back to the boil count 3 minutes and remove them.
• Drain and tip into a bowl of iced water to cool quickly.
• Drain well again and set aside.
• Sauté the pancetta in the hot goose fat until crisp.
• Toss in the sprouts with the pancetta and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, adding the sage at the last minute.

Nigella Lawson’s chestnuts, pancetta and parsley sprouts
1kg Brussels sprouts;
250g pancetta, rind removed, cut into 1cm cubes;
1 tablespoon vegetable oil;
30g butter;
250g vacuum-packed chestnuts;
60ml marsala;
1 large bunch parsley, chopped

• Tip the sprouts into a large pan of salted boiling water and cook until tender but still retaining a bit of bite, about five minutes or so depending on size.
• Meanwhile, cook the pancetta cubes in the oil until crisp and golden.
• Add the butter and chestnuts and, with a wooden spoon or spatula, press on the chestnuts to break them up a little. When they're warmed through, turn the heat up and throw in the marsala, letting it bubble away, fusing with the pancetta fat and chestnutty butter to form a glorious savoury syrup.
• Add the drained sprouts and turn well, sprinkling in half the parsley as you do so. Decant to a warmed serving plate and sprinkle over the remaining chopped parsley.
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