Matt Wilkinson - Mr. Wilkinsons Fall and Winter Vegetables: A Cookbook to Celebrate the Garden

MR.

WILKINSONS

FALL AND WINTER

VEGETABLES

A COOKBOOK TO CELEBRATE THE GARDEN

MATT WILKINSON

(BRASSICA OLERACEA GEMMIFERA)

If you have ever seen a Brussels sprout plant growing you would undoubtedly think it was the ugliest, wartiest looking specimen youve ever seen, and not something at all edible. You look at its bizarre trunk with countless little green knobs growing from it and think, God, what is that? Its a cabbage gone wrong! And, well, it is.

RECIPES

So why Brussels sprouts? Well, the obvious answer seems to be because thats where they came from, but there isnt a lot of evidence to support that statement, although they are popular in Belgium. They probably did originate in Europe and, much like most things, the Romans spread them throughout the continent.

They are a cultivar, or cultivated variety, of the cabbage, which means they were grown and bred from the cabbage specifically for their smaller heads until they became a sub-species in their own right. So there you go. Theres no need to be afraid of the Brussels sprouttheyre just a mini cabbage.

Brussels sprouts are part of the Brassica family and closely related to cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi and kale. Its a real love it or hate it veg, and, out of all its cousins, poor sprouts probably have the worst reputation. And a wholly undeserved one, in my opinion.

It is a beautiful delicate little vegetable, and I have always loved it. I remember Sunday dinner at my nans when I was younger (a weekly occurrence) and my sister Lucy getting in trouble every week for getting up from her chair to move the platter of sprouts further away from her. She couldnt even stand to be near them! I didnt mind, as long as she moved them closer to me. I think Id have a dozen for every one Mum made Lucy eat. And my fondness for them has only grown with the ensuing years, as Ive learned that treating them with a little love and respect will reward you again and again.

I actually do blame the moms, dads, pops and nans of this world for completely cooking the life out of Brussels sprouts, bastardizing them so that the entire house smells, well, there really is no delicate way to put this, it smells like farts. My nan was one of the guilty parties, believe me. It didnt put me off sprouts, though, but I will readily admit that she would boil them on high heat for at least an hour before serving so that they resembled waterlogged gray walnuts, with not a single thing gorgeous or green left about them. Certainly, they didnt retain any of the vitamins or minerals that sprouts are naturally endowed withthese would have all gone down the drain. In fact, these little beauties are vitamin powerhouses, theyre high in protein and anti-oxidants and can be described with all those other buzzwords that equal good for you. But that is only if they are cooked correctly. So let me tell you how, and believe me, it is this simple

Never, never, never cook them all the way through. Cook them until just al dentethat is, still with a little bite to them, then take them off the heat immediately as they will carry on cooking. By the time you dress them, either with a little olive oil or butter and some salt and pepper, and get them on the table, they will be just perfect for eating.

Their flavor is so delicate and sweet, yet so robust. They make a classic accompaniment when paired with chestnuts, thyme, mint and bacon.

There are a few other ways I like to cook them for a good result. You can finely chop the sprouts and cook them in lightly salted boiling water. Meanwhile, heat some butter until foaming and toss the drained sprouts through. Season and eat straight away. Cutting them finely reduces the cooking time.

I also enjoy peeling the individual leaves from the head. Discard any discolored or straggly outer ones and use the lovely tender inner leaves. Just lightly blanch them in boiling water and refresh under cold water. This will take away the plasticky coating on the outside of the leaves but they will retain their lovely raw, crunchy texture, much like cabbage. This is one of my favorite sides.

As I mentioned, the Brussels sprout plant is a weird-looking one, but strangely beautiful in its own way. It is also really great to grow, and ideally suited for small spaces as it grows straight up. It will take quite some time to mature, about 36 months, like most members of the Brassica family, but you should enjoy a yield of about 2 pounds 4 ounces of sprouts per plant.

MASHED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH MINT, BEST END OF LAMB

SERVES 4

This is the clincher. If you have been in the dont go near Brussels sprouts school then this will convert you. I personally love them, and this is my fail-safe recipe to cooking them wellthe mint and vinegar help soften the flavor of the sprouts and I couldnt think of anything better to serve them with than a roasted best end of lamb.

2 POUNDS 4 OUNCES-2 POUNDS 10 OUNCES BEST END OF LAMB (SEE NOTE)

OLIVE OIL, FOR SEARING

12 BRUSSELS SPROUTS

1 GENEROUS TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL

1 GENEROUS TABLESPOON CHARDONNAY VINEGAR

1 BIG PINCH OF MINT LEAVES, THINLY SLICED

FINE SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Preheat the oven to 425F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Sear the lamb on all sides until a nice caramelized brown color, about 4 minutes all up, then transfer to a roasting tray and place in the oven for 3545 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest, then carve into slices to serve.

Meanwhile, trim the bases of the Brussels sprouts, peel off the outer dark green leaves and quarter. Place the sprouts in a 8-cup capacity saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 1013 minutes. Immediately drain, then add the sprouts back to the pan and place over low heat. You want to dry the sprouts out a little for 12 minutes. Take off the heat and mash roughly 810 times with an old-school hand-held masher. Now stir in the olive oil, vinegar and mint, season with salt and pepper and serve with the lamb.

Note Best of lamb is an old English cut of meat. Its the best part of the neck and shoulder with 4 racks (or points) attached.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, VANILLA-CONFIT CHESTNUTS & THYME

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE

Remember that Brussels sprouts are delicious until theyre overcooked. Then they emanate a farty smell and will taste like how the grans of the past cooked them. Follow this recipe to the T and I assure you that you will love the Brussels