An earthy, moreish side of charred brussels sprouts and roasted chestnuts, sautéed with shallots, sage and lemon zest. Seasonal, simple and flavourful.
Brussels sprouts are cropping up in a lot more recipes, but did you know that they still rank quite high on the most hated veggies list?
Is it purely because of the taste? Or are people remembering eating them when they were younger? When they were probably boiled down to mush?
Brussels Sprouts: What’s in a Name?
The little green vegetables are thought to have originated in Rome, but became popular after their namesake, Brussels, where they were cultivated in the 16th century before spreading to the rest of Europe and beyond.
Nowadays, people are making all sorts of things with brussels sprouts, showing how tasty and versatile they can be; brussels sprout tacos, anyone?
Watch the How-To Video:
Brussels sprouts suck up a lot of flavour, and when seasoned and cooked well, become mild and almost nutty, with the centre softening but still offering a pleasing crunch.
Part of the cruciferous family, the larger sprouts can have a very slight bitter aftertaste, but the baby ones are quite sweet. They share a flavour profile with cabbage, cauliflower, kale and mustard greens, so if you like those veggies and greens, you’ll like brussels sprouts. Just maybe don’t boil them.
Chestnuts: The Underrated Nut
Brussels sprouts might be available year-round nowadays, but fresh, raw chestnuts still in their shells are not. And believe it or not, these two slightly scorned foods actually work really well together to create an earthy side.
Now, let’s talk chestnuts. All chestnut lovers out there know the pain of being stabbed underneath the nail by a stubborn piece of chestnut skin… But they’re a lot easier to deal with once you learn a couple of tips and tricks. They just need a little time to soak and roast properly, and the skin releases much easier.
The secret to peeling chestnuts is 1. cutting a horizontal line instead of a cross into the shell, and 2. letting the raw nuts soak for an hour in cold water before you roast them. Sure, there’s still going to be the odd chestnut that is stubborn and refuses to separate from the skin, but it’s way less then when you don’t soak them.
The Supporting Stars
It’s the supporting roles that bring this side dish together:
- Butter and oil mix: you want the brussels sprouts to cook undisturbed in the beginning so they can form a nice char. The butter helps deepen the flavour while the oil keeps everything from burning and becoming bitter.
- Shallot and garlic: the building blocks of many a good dish! Brown onions can be used instead, but if you can get them, shallots offer a more delicate flavour and don’t require as much cooking.
- Sage: The earthy, pine-like herb complements and deepens the flavour of both the brussels sprouts and the chestnuts. Marjoram is a good substitute if you don’t have any sage.
- Lemon juice and zest: adds some brightness to an otherwise very earthy dish and pairs really well with the sage.
You can serve this sautéed brussels sprout and chestnut side with salmon, chicken, turkey or seasoned rice. I’ve also served them alongside a simple, salted, baked potato and it was yummy and comforting.
Looking for other inspired sides? Try these:
Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts with Sage and Lemon
Ingredients
- 15-20 chestnuts
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 20 g butter, divided
- 15 brussels sprouts
- 1 shallot
- 1 clove of garlic
- 10 sage leaves
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Gather the chestnuts and make a horizontal cut across the whole nut. This will give a larger surface area to be able to split open the skin and peel the nut, as opposed to the usual smaller cross shape. Make sure to cut through both the shell and the skin below, but try not to cut the nut itself (though it’s not the end of the world if you do).
- Place the chestnuts into a bowl and cover with cold water until submerged. Set aside to soak for 1 hour.
- In the meantime, prep the rest of the ingredients: trim the ends and then slice the brussels sprouts in half, finely chop the shallot and garlic, roughly chiffonade the sage.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. When the chestnuts have finished soaking, drain the water and dry them well. Arrange the nuts on a baking tray in a single layer, cut side up, and roast for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re golden brown and tender, and the skin has pulled away from the cuts you made.
- Remove the chestnuts from the oven, wrap them up in a towel and set aside for 10-15 minutes to steam and cool.
- Peel the chestnuts when they are cool enough to handle but still quite hot – the cooler they are the harder they are to peel! Roughly break up the nuts into smaller pieces and set aside.
- Start to cook the brussels sprouts by adding the oil and half the butter to a cast-iron skillet or heavy based frying pan (these will help in achieving a char). When hot, place the brussels sprouts into the oil-butter mixture, cut side down. Leave to cook, over medium heat and undisturbed, for 6-8 minutes or until they get a nice char on the cut side.
- Now add the rest of the butter, shallots and garlic, sage, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and leave to cook for a further 5-6 minutes, or until the brussels sprouts are tender on the outside and just starting to soften in the centre.
- Add the chestnuts to the brussels sprouts, add the lemon zest from the whole lemon and then one good squeeze of lemon juice, or to your liking – but add a little at a time. Stir and cook for a further minute or two before serving.
