Appetizers/ HotApp

Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves

What a great veggie appetizer.

I mentioned in earlier post that I had dinner one night at the Salty Sow in Austin several months ago. We ordered these fried Brussels sprouts for an appetizer and it was hard to stop eating them. We didn’t until they were gone.

I was watching one of the food shows the other night and they were talking about food trends and which ones should stick around and which ones have run their course.  Bacon was one they discussed and I don’t think people will ever get tired of bacon. Scallops was another one and also an “egg on top of everything” was another. I have seen the egg on lots of menu. Why is it people want to throw an egg on top of pizza, pasta, burgers and even soup?

When it comes to Brussels sprouts they are now on Forbes top 10 vegetable list. I never liked them, never even saw them on the table when I was growing up so my dad must not have liked them either.  I always thought of them as these hard little cabbages that were bitter and you had to chase them all over your plate to try and catch them. In some areas Brussels sprouts are more popular on the appetizer menu than calamari.

Since there was no recipe I could find online for Salty Sow’s French Fried Brussels sprouts I had to come up with my own. Not really a recipe at all. I knew there app had Brussels sprouts (shaved), golden raisins and pecorino cheese. I added a couple tablespoons of good balsamic to the golden raisins for a little sweet/tartness and I had asiago cheese since I could not find pecorino at my grocery. All I can say about this appetizer is that we were eating these as soon as they were taken up and mixed with the raisins, cheese and sea salt.

I can’t wait to make these again. I just don’t like separating the leaves.  I did find shredded Brussels sprouts at Trader Joe’s and we cooked a bag of those after cooking all the leaves I had separated.  They are just as good but a little harder to eat with your fingers, you may have to use a fork.

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Not many ingredients to this little snack.

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Cut in half and then cut the cores out. What do you have? Little green Pac Men.

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The hardest part of this recipe is taking apart the leaves; but they are really better this way than when I used the shredded Brussels sprouts.

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We were cooking these on my friend’s outdoor kitchen stove and I so splatter up the stove top. Sorry Peggy!

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After these come out of the grease, toss with the golden raisins and cheese and sprinkle with some sea salt. Enjoy.

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Delicious!!!! I bet you can’t just eat one.

Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves

Ingredients

  • 1 bag Brussels sprouts
  • 3/4-1 c. golden raisins
  • 1-2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 c. pecorino or asiago or Parmesan cheese
  • sea salt
  • oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Get comfortable and start separating your Brussels sprout leaves. First cut the sprouts in half and then use a small paring knife to cut out the core on each half. Gently pull off the leaves and get as many off as you can. Save the firmer part and cook later or throw in a soup pot. Set the leaves aside.
  2. Put the golden raisins in a bowl and drizzle enough balsamic over the raisins, toss to coat and let them set until you have the sprout leaves fried.
  3. Heat about 2" of oil in a deep pan until it reaches about 350°. Add the leaves a handful at a time and fry until golden and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pan as they will not be as crispy. Remove from oil and repeat with remaining leaves.
  4. Put the fried Brussels sprouts into your serving bowl. Scatter the balsamic raisins over the leaves and toss. Then  sprinkle with sea salt and the cheese. Toss again and serve.
  5. If you use leaves, you can eat these with your fingers. If you decided to buy shredded Brussels sprouts, then you may need to use a fork. But, however you choose to eat them, they will be delicious.

 

 

5 Comments

  • Reply
    catherine irvin
    November 9, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    sherry,
    Saw you at The Nutcracker Market in Houston on Thursday but you looked very busy so did not stop to chat. Love your recipes! Keep cooking! Catherine

    • Reply
      Sherry
      November 10, 2013 at 8:21 am

      Are you sure it was me? 🙂 I was there with my twin sister and her daughter-in-law. You should have stopped me, I’m never too busy to talk to a friend. Hope you try the Brussels Sprout leaves. I made them again while my sister was visiting. I think they are my favorite appetizer.

  • Reply
    catherine irvin
    November 12, 2013 at 7:06 am

    Well, I guess it could have been your twin! Will stop you next time to chat! You have been on my mind for some reason as I spoke of you and this web site to a friend who needs a cater for her daughter’s wedding here in The Woodlands. Do you cater for weddings? Let me know if you do and I will send her your web site.
    Catherine

  • Reply
    Leigh
    June 22, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    I just had those at the Salty Sow and they were amazing! I asked the server how they make it because they’ve never tasted like that when I’ve made them! He said they fry the leaves with oil and agave. I never would have thought about agave.

    • Reply
      Sherry
      July 21, 2018 at 1:02 pm

      I love these. Most restaurants fry their brussel sprouts, halved, and that’s not nearly as good as the separate leaves. Hope you try my version.

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