If you were worried that – between the Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Bars, Fluffer- Nutella Sandiwches, and Salted Caramel Budino – we subsist on a diet fit only for Buddy the Elf, these Brussels Sprouts are here to prove that we (occasionally) remember to get in our greens. This dish was inspired by Kyle’s first trip to Chicago that included a fantastic meal at The Purple Pig. The original dish consisted of a heaping portion of individual, deep-fried Brussels sprout leaves, flavored with lemon zest and minced thyme. Sounds delicious, right?
Wanting to recreate the dish after returning home, the thought of plucking all of those individual leaves seemed a little labor-intensive and daunting. Even at the thought of it, he needed a nap. Inspiration struck and it was decided that for the sake of laziness efficiency, the sprouts could be shredded in the food processor—the slicing side of a box grater would work, as well—and violá, problem solved. No further naps necessary.
To avoid over-cooking and to lighten the dish overall, the shredded sprouts were sauteéd in a garlic and thyme-infused olive oil in lieu of deep frying, thus transforming a fancy, labor-intensive (albeit delicious) restaurant dish into a quick, accessible, and wildly satisfying weeknight side dish.
Inspired by a dish served at The Purple Pig.
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2-3 sprigs thyme
- 1 12-ounce bag Brussels Sprouts, shredded in food processor or box grater
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- dash red pepper flake
- salt and pepper
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme and heat until your kitchen smells very fragrant and garlic begins to brown.
- Discard garlic and thyme and add Brussels sprouts. Cook, without stirring, 4-5 minutes; this will get the bottom layer dark brown and crisp.
- Add lemon zest and juice, red pepper and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper, then stir to get get a fresh layer of shredded sprouts on the bottom of the pan. Heat for another 3-4 minutes to get more crisp, browned Brussels sprouts. Serve immediately.
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