Ain't That Some BS

Brussels sprouts

I heard somewhere that Brussels sprouts are the most detested vegetable in America. My husband and my sister had always loved them, but I used to find the tiny green cabbage heads too bitter.

I don't like to have too much in common with certain people, especially republican presidents (it's rumored that one of the Bushes detests BS, but I've seen them all dish out plenty), and especially when all evidence points to this cruciferous vegetable as a cancer fighter and all around good egg.

So, sometime last year, before Rosh Hashanah, I tried the pile offered up on my husband's fork. And I was addicted.

We eat Brussels sprouts at least twice a week. We buy the big loose ones at Shoppers, and I cook up about a dozen at a time. And whenever I have the opportunity, I recruit.

At Rosh Hashanah last year, I prepared the BS for my brother-in-law. He was hooked. A couple months ago, I made some for a girlfriend after our kids took tests (there was also a filet mignon involved); she liked it, but her kid didn't. (Never believe a kid; he will say no to any vegetable except string beans.)

Two nights ago, after I'd prepared them in that special way, my neighbors popped in to pick up their goldfish. I gave mother (who likes them whole and calls them "little worlds") and daughter a bite. Just a moment ago, the phone rang, and it was my neighbors calling from the grocery store. The daughter asked if they could make Brussels sprouts tonight, and the mom was calling for the recipe—just the way I made it.

C'mon. You know you want to like them. So give this recipe a try.

1.) Chop off a tiny bit of the stalk (get the hard brown stuff off), and make an X in the base with your knife.

2.) Rinse the whole sprouts, and boil them in water until they're fork tender.

3.) Drain the sprouts and dump them in a large bowl with a few tablespoons (four, maybe, for 12 sprouts) of butter. (We use Land o' Lakes Light Butter, but you can use regular or Smart Balance; just go easy on the trans-fats.) Throw in a bunch of salt, a pinch of garlic powder, and some pepper, if you want it.

4.) Chop the sprouts into little pieces. Each piece will get nice and buttery and salty and delicious, and there will be no bitterness at all!

Trust me on this one. My judge of BS has never been wide of the mark.