Many people hate this plant for no reason – Super delicious

Add a little salt and citrus juice or chili, garlic or herbs such as thyme, rosemary or marjoram to the Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts are also suitable for rich flavors such as nuts, cream, bacon and syrup. Mari Moilanen

Many people may have a prejudice against Brussels sprouts (some may say they hate), but it’s completely unnecessary. Today, Brussels sprouts are no longer bitter, because most of their bitterness has been refined.

Brussel sprouts are super delicious when prepared correctly. The bulletin of the Central Association of Agricultural and Forestry Producers states that Brussels sprouts week is being celebrated this week.

Many people have bad memories of Brussels sprouts cooked overripe and limp. MTK’s food market expert Heidi Siivonen boiling is not the best preparation method for brussels sprouts.

– I wouldn’t cook brussels sprouts, I would eat them raw like a salad, roast them in the oven or fry them in a pan. Brussels sprouts can also be steamed, so they don’t become watery. Brussels sprouts are at their best when they have bite resistance left, Siivonen advises in the announcement.

So far, very little brussels sprouts are eaten in Finland. The average Finn eats only 40–50 grams of brussels sprouts during the year, which corresponds to about one large brussels sprout. Instead, Finland’s most popular cabbage, white cabbage, is eaten around three kilos per person per year.

– Prepared meals contain white cabbage, and it is offered in public kitchens, for example, in lunch dishes. In addition, you can get white cabbage all year round, while the short season of brussels sprouts falls in the fall, Siivonen elaborates in the press release.

Brussel sprouts, when prepared correctly, are both delicious and healthy. Brussel sprouts contain vitamins C, K and A as well as folate. In addition, Brussels sprouts are high in fiber and are a source of iron.

Brussels sprouts are grown quite a bit in Finland. Brussel sprouts grower Simo Laakso says in the announcement that large farms of more than a hectare can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Brussel sprouts have been cultivated for 30 years on Suttinen’s farm in Pälkänä, Laakso.

According to Laakso, brussels sprouts are cultivated in Finland today to the same extent as in the 1990s.

Laakso describes this autumn’s brussel sprout harvest as at least average.

– September was warm, so the harvest is ready faster than normal. Cabbage is now sprouting from the field quickly, and it is necessary to collect it so that the cabbages don’t get too big. Brussels sprouts the size of a golf ball are good, says Laakso.

Brussel sprouts grown in Finland are harvested by hand, unlike in Central Europe. According to Laakso, this is due to the fact that many current varieties of brussels sprouts have been bred for “short day” conditions, when the small heads of cabbage that form on the main stem of the brussels sprout plant ripen at the same time, so the Central European crop can be harvested all at once mechanically.

In the Finnish summer, the days are long, so the Brussels sprouts ripen first in the lower part of the main stem, while the cabbages in the upper part of the salo are only ready to harvest after three or four weeks. In Finland, brussels sprouts are harvested by hand, which explains the higher purchase price of domestic brussels sprouts.

– Harvesting is more expensive in Finland. Handcrafting increases the cost, which is why Dutch or Spanish Brussels sprouts are half the price, says Laakso.

Tip!

Good Brussels sprouts can be recognized in the store by the fact that the leaves are green and the cabbages seem dense.

If some of the outer leaves of the cabbage have turned yellow, you can pinch them off before cooking.

You can also thin the stem of Brussels sprouts a little with a knife if it is woody.

Brussels sprouts are best stored in their own container in the refrigerator.

However, it should be kept separate from vegetables that excrete ethylene, such as bananas, apples and tomatoes, so that Brussels sprouts don’t go bad prematurely.

Brussels sprouts

(for 4 people)

600 g Brussels sprouts

1 whole garlic clove

1 lemon

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of finger salt

a few grinds of black pepper from the grinder

1. Cook brussels sprouts in salted water for about 5 minutes, until the brussels sprouts feel cooked when tested with a fork, but the brussels sprouts are still bright green in color.

2. Slice the lemon into three parts and crush the garlic cloves with their skins. Use a glass to press the ripe Brussels sprouts into the pot. Arrange Brussels sprouts, lemon slices and garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Season with olive oil, finger salt and black pepper.

3. Roast the Brussels sprouts in a 225-degree oven for about 15 minutes, until the surface of the Brussels sprouts is crispy.

Recipe: Mari Moilanen