Seasonal produce - Brussels sprouts

Not much is left in the veg patch at this time of year, but we can always rely on harvesting Brussels sprouts for Christmas.  Here are three ways to cook them that you may not have tried before.

Roasted Brussels, chorizo and chestnuts. 

An alternative to the classic Christmas bacon and sprouts dish.  Boil your trimmed whole sprouts in lightly salted water for 5 minutes or until soft and drain well.  Cut your chorizo into small pieces and fry in a saucepan until the oil runs out and add a packet of vacuum-packed chestnuts.  Tip in your sprouts and finish by roasting it all the oven for 15/20 minutes or until golden.

Spicy stir-fried sprouts. 

Halve the sprouts and steam them for 5 minutes before frying then up until golden with crushed cumin and coriander seeds.  Alternatively, heat a tsp of black mustard and cumin seeds and curry leaves  in oil until the seeds pop, then add the sprouts.  Great with turkey or as a topping to a lentil curry.

Christmas Brussels blinis.

Clean and shred your Brussels and add a handful to buckwheat blini batter.  Make nice large blinis or small pancakes and serve with crème fresh, smoked salmon and dill.