Growing up I never liked Brussels sprouts. They always smelled so horrible I never bothered trying them. About 5 months ago I decided to give them a try and found several ways to enjoy them without that sulfur smell.
One of my favorite ways is to cut them up and steam for about five minutes, then toss in olive oil and garlic and top with sheep feta and Manchego cheese. Ideally you should cut them into quarters and let them sit a few minutes before steaming to help release the healthy nutrients. Brussels sprouts are detoxifying and have cardiovascular health benefits.
A vegan option is to leave off the cheese and use my favorite multipurpose Asian sauce: 2 T soy sauce-(I like San J organic reduced sodium Tamari best), 1 clove garlic, 1 T grated ginger, 2 T sesame oil. Adding a dollop of fresh ground peanut butter will make it heartier if you get hungry fast. Note that if you are using peanut butter, stick with sesame or peanut oil as olive oil will make the peanut butter clumpy and dry.
You can also make up your own chili sesame oil by combining toasted sesame oil with dried ground chili peppers. Don’t buy the chilis already ground; the flavor has all but left by the time you get them home. I recommend buying them dried whole from either a Mexican or Asian grocery and grinding them in coffee grinder. This will bring out the best flavor. I poured about a tablespoon of chilies into a 8-ounce bottle and filled it with toasted sesame oil. If you decide to grow and dry your own peppers please be sure they are really really dry or they will become moldy in your oil-I have learned this the hard way.
This aromatic oil mixture only needs about 10 minutes to flavor but the longer you leave it the richer it becomes. Some of the chili oils available in stores are made from soybean oil or other yucky oils of which I’m not terribly fond. This is why I decided to make my own. Enjoy!
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