Brussels Sprouts…so much more than expected.

Super tasty savoury rice with Brussels sprouts.

Chunky Apple Oat Slice…new recipe, fingers crossed!

Brussels sprouts. If the mere mention of this green leafy vegetable makes you grimace, then it’s time for your tastebuds to try again. Any nasty memories of pungent, overcooked, washed out brussels sprouts should be banished because this humble veg is versatile and delicious. The tick is not to kill it with incorrect cooking.  

My friend Stephanie regularly makes a stand-out side dish featuring Brussels sprouts, braised in olive oil with garlic and prosciutto. Her children gobble them down with delight. 

This evening I needed to make a light dinner and decided on Savoury Rice with Brussels Sprouts and Asparagus. We had feasted for breakfast at Deckhouse Woolwich – impressive menu and equally impressive harbour views – with my husband’s parents, younger brother, his delightful wife and their engaging toddler. A late lunch followed which consisted of leftover tender lamb leg that I had roasted in a must-make-again marinade of ground cumin, oregano, lemon and honey. A different and successful change from the traditional lamb flavourings of mint, rosemary, garlic. Certainly worth giving it a go. Just make sure you add the honey in the last half an hour of roasting to prevent it from becoming to dark and burning. Sticky baked Spanish onion and garlic potatoes along with a Greek salad complimented our lamb. 

This savoury rice dish is an easy and tasty way of introducing children to a variety of vegetables. When they are diced up finely, cooked quickly and combined with other ingredients, their flavour is so sensational that little ones who may turn their noses up at the mention of asparagus or sprouts simply can’t resist and end up holding out their bowls for seconds. 

Do NOT overcook the veggies! You still want to retain a bit of texture and colour, so use a stir-fry technique with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Heat up the widest frypan or saucepan available over a medium to high heat to achieve this. Brussels sprouts are especially high in vitamins C, A and dietary fibre and these are best retained by avoiding overcooking. 

Savoury Rice with Brussels Sprouts and Asparagus to serve 6 people

Ingredients
600 grams long grain rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 carrots 
300 grams mushrooms (I used Swiss Brown) 
2 x bunches asparagus, ends trimmed 
300 grams Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
350 grams bacon (the entire rasher, not just the eye of the bacon)
1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
sea salt to taste (not too much because the bacon is salty)

Start off by putting the rice on to cook. I used a rice cooker because it is faster with less washing up, but you can also follow the absorption method using a saucepan. 

In the meantime, prepare your veggies by washing, peeling where necessary and then dicing into bite sized pieces along with the bacon. Heat up the olive oil and add the garlic, carrots and bacon. Cook, stirring often for five minutes. 

Add the rest of the vegetables along with the chilli and herbs and cook for 4 – 5 minutes only, moving the ingredients back and forth to sear the sides and release the flavour. Do not cover with the lid and do not add liquid. Season to taste. 

When ready, toss through the steamed rice and serve with freshly sliced green chillies for those who would like a bit more heat to their dish. 

I also made this Chunky Apple Oat Slice which I stuffed into my children’s lunch boxes for tomorrow. It’s an edible experiment, so if my brood returns home from school with empty containers and enthusiastic feedback then I will include the recipe on Cabinet of Cookery. If not, well, they won’t be mentioned (or made) again! I will report back tomorrow…