AT THE LATE FALL FARMERS’ MARKET I love to see Brussels sprouts’ giant clubs with clusters of buds growing up and down the trunk. The entire plant—including the leaves, leaf stalks, and even the inner core of the trunk—is delicious. The Brussels sprout plant begins growing like a cabbage head, but then develops a sturdy central stem that shoots straight up to 3 feet high. Leaves and thick leaf stalks grow out from the stem and, in between them, auxiliary buds form. These auxiliary buds (the sprouts) are harvested, and the rest of the plant, including the large stem, is often left standing in the field. Recently, though, unpackaged Brussels sprouts, still attached to the central stem with the top leaves on, have begun to appear in farmers’ markets and supermarket produce sections. Brussels sprouts are hardy in cold weather and can last about two weeks in the refrigerator.
SERVES 4 / TIME: 40 MIN (plus 10 min for the dressing)
This dish shows how a food that is “common” can become uncommon and surprise you with its deliciousness if you think about the whole plant and jazz it up with some fresh herb oil and a bit of briny flavor. It is also one of the ways that I like to make a dressing.
1 Brussels sprouts stem, (sprouts and leaves cut off, leaves reserved for below and sprouts for your favorite broiling recipe)
¼ cup (4 ounces) whey (see here to make your own; otherwise use the top layer of liquid from fresh ricotta)
2 tablespoons Dill Oil (here)
1 frond fresh dill, chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of fresh young kelp, cut into small pieces (optional)
Char the stem: Hold the club-like stem with tongs over a gas flame (or lay flat in a dry cast iron skillet over high heat) and char the entire stem, turning frequently, for 5 minutes. Allow the stem to cool a few seconds, to enable you to handle it with your hands. Wrap the stem in plastic, so that it is enclosed but not too tight. The stem will begin to generate more heat from the core and gently “cook” in its own steam for about 10 minutes, until cool. You will be able to see some steam bubbles collecting inside the wrap during this process. Unwrap the stem and, with a knife, trim off the outer tough layer (save these trimmings for Vegetable Scrap & Peel Stock, here). Cut the stem into 1-inch chunks.
Sauté the leaves: The leaves are soft and tender and do not need much time cooking. Tear the leaves into quarters. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dry sauté the leaves for 3 minutes, until lightly wilted.
To serve: Spoon the whey onto the serving plate. Spoon the oil onto the whey. Since it is not whisked together, the oil will form distinct green bubble-dots against the white whey. Top with the dill fronds, sautéed leaves, stem chunks, lemon zest and juice, and a bit of kelp for added brininess.
Tip: Instead of always shaking dressing ingredients together in a jar to make the ingredients unite (emulsify) when they don’t naturally bond, spoon each of the dressing ingredients around the dish separately so that the natural circles of the herb oil stand out: It looks more beautiful and gives you small bursts of flavor.
TESTER’S NOTES:
I tried to see if I could first cut the giant stem in half as it looked pretty unwieldy, but even hacking at it with a meat cleaver could barely make a dent. So I followed the instructions, and it softened up enough to be able to cut the woody outer wall off with a regular knife, exposing the yummy center. It was crunchy and sweet with a char at the end. It doesn’t make a lot of volume, but I think I like it even better than the sprouts. The leaves were also delicious.