Veg hero of the month.
SPROUTS
In the first of this new series bigging up our favourite vegetables, we’re here to tell you that these small green balls of joy aren’t just for Christmas – and they’re much more versatile than the naysayers would have you believe
RECIPES, FOOD STYLING AND BACKGROUNDS POLLYANNA COUPLAND PHOTOGRAPHS INDIA WHILEY-MORTON
5 essential questions answered
1 WHAT ARE SPROUTS, EXACTLY?
Contrary to what many people assume, they ’re not mini cabbages, although they are part of the same family ( brassicas).
W hereas a cabbage grows on the ground with a single head, sprouts grow on a long stem (see left).
2 WHAT’S BRUSSELS GOT TO DO WITH THEM?
It’s thought the cultivar was first bred there in the Middle Ages. Certainly by the 16th century, when the city was part of the vast Habsburg Empire, sprouts were all the rage, and they ’ve been associated with Brussels ever since.
3 WHY ARE THEY SO MUSHY?
You’re cooking them wrong. Instead of boiling, halve or shred, then fry them to get some flavoursome browning. Or steam them, so the good stuff doesn’t leak out into the water. They roast well too, and shredded they ’re great raw in a slaw. Or try fermenting them (see opposite). If you really must boil them, do it for no longer than 5 minutes.