I don’t understand what all the fuss is about brussels sprouts.

I’ve never had brussels sprouts until Annie cooked them for us recently. But all I heard about brussels sprouts before then was how much people hated them. I wondered why, since it seemed to me that they were just a strange looking little cabbage ball that grows on a stalk. What’s not to love?

The other day, Annie picked up a stalk of brussels sprouts at the farmer’s market and brought it home. First she cut the sprouts off the stalk. She then cut each sprout in half and washed them.

Annie wanted to make a quick veggie side dish for dinner, so she chopped up some garlic, heated a little oil in the non-stick pan, and fried the garlic until it became fragrant. Then she tossed the brussels sprouts in and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Brussels Sprouts Sautéed with Garlic

She sautéed them over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the brussels sprouts started to caramelize. Then she just served it up.

Brussels Sprouts Sautéed with Garlic

That’s all there is to it. It’s so simple, quick, easy, and deeeeelicious! Because of the caramelization, the brussels sprouts take on a sweet, almost nutty flavor. That combined with the fragrant garlic makes for a really yummy dish.

I think that most people don’t like brussels sprouts because they’ve only had (over)boiled ones. If you overcook any cabbage, they’ll lose their beautiful green coloring, turn a nasty yellow, and give off an unpleasant sulfur odor. The best way to cook brussels sprouts is to cook them fast so they don’t lose their flavor and turn into disgusting blobs.

So, if you say you hate brussels sprouts, or have never eaten them before, I do encourage you to give this recipe a try. You won’t be sorry!

This post was submitted to this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by Anna of Anna’s Cool Finds.

Aloha, Nate