Eat yo’ greens with Mark Best’s roast brussels sprouts
When you were a child, could there have be anything worse on your plate than brussels sprouts? If you haven’t realised yet, these midget cabbages are actually damn delicious if prepared properly. In the words of renowned Australian chef Mark Best, “brussels sprouts are actually quite versatile and respond eloquently to not having the shit boiled out of them”. In this recipe, Mark treats brussels sprouts with the respect they deserve to create a moreish side dish. You’ll find this and a collection of more than 90 other recipes based around a single ingredient in Mark’s new chef’s compendium for home, Best Kitchen Basics.
INGREDIENTS
500 g brussels sprouts
300 g Greek-style yoghurt
30 ml Japanese white soy sauce
500 ml canola oil
sea salt
30 ml hazelnut oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 thyme sprigs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
TO MAKE
Trim the stalks off the sprouts. Remove the outer dark leaves and set them aside.
Hang the yoghurt in some muslin (cheesecloth) over a bowl for 2–3 hours to thicken it. Discard the whey and mix the curds with the white soy sauce in a bowl. Place in the refrigerator.
Steam the sprouts until just tender and drain well.
Fill a saucepan one-third full with canola oil or put the oil in a deep fryer and heat it to 170°C. Fry the brussels sprouts leaves until crisp, then transfer to paper towel to drain. Season lightly with salt and keep warm in a low oven to crisp them.
Heat the hazelnut oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the brussels sprouts and garlic and sautee until golden. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, smear some yoghurt over the base of a serving platter and spoon the brussels sprouts over the top. Garnish with the crisp outer leaves.
Serves four.
This is an edited extract from Best Kitchen Basics by Mark Best, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally.
Photographer credit: Petrina Tinslay.
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