Mr. Gary’s Brussel Sprouts

Photograph, Food and Prop Styling by Lori Pedrick

Meeting Mr. Gary 

One fall morning in Boston, I met “Mr. Gary” while bringing food into the church where Common Cathedral is housed. He had overheard me talking to another guest in the hallway and politely asked if I would make him his favorite dish, Brussel Sprouts. I said of course and asked him if he had a particular recipe (or preparation) he preferred for making them. His greatest concern was the ingredients with which the Brussel Sprouts would be paired, not so much how they would be specifically cooked. Unfortunately, I had a disruptive week and could not find the paper where I had scribbled Mr. Gary’s recipe. That following week, I arrived at Common Cathedral with another WISHDISH I had promised to someone else for that same week and was ready to apologize to Mr. Gary for my goof. In the hallway, this quiet yet “punchy” man called out to me, “Hey, did you make my Brussel Sprouts?” Before I had a chance to explain, he could tell from the horror on my face that I hadn’t brought them. I apologized profusely. He forgivingly recited the recipe to me once again. I promised to bring them the following week and he reassured me he would be there to receive his dish. Indeed he was!

Mr. Gary’s Brussel Sprouts Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

Just about everywhere I went in recent years, I would order Brussel Sprouts. I was often satisfied and happy with myself for choosing this flavor-filled dish and eating healthily. I have to say, Mr. Gary’s combination of ingredients is superb! I ended up cooking them both ways he suggested to see if I preferred one over the other (using the same ingredients). I actually found the cooking methods fairly equivalent in resulting flavor and texture. I decided to leave Mr. Gary’s recipe in the rich energy and simplicity in which he told me. I like to think of Brussel Sprouts this way too. To make the directions a little more explicit, I’ve called this a marinade and suggest mincing your garlic and grated fresh ginger in a large bowl. Then add both of the pepper seasonings, the honey, the oil and butter. Note: I’ve also added salt to the ingredient list as it is an important element in cooking Brussel Sprouts. I noticed that it was missing from Mr. Gary’s original recipe.

Ingredients:

• 20 Brussel Sprouts (stems removed and cut in half lengthwise)
• 3 cloves Fresh Garlic (peeled and minced)
• 1/2 piece Fresh Ginger Root (peeled and grated)
• 4 tbsp. Olive Oil (reserve 2 tbsp. for cooking)
• 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp. Honey
• 3 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, softened (reserve 1 tbsp. for cooking)
• 1 tsp. Salt

Instructions:

There are multiple ways in which you can choose to cook Brussel Sprouts. Since Mr. Gary had not specified a cooking method, I decided to experiment with two ways to see which I preferred. Despite the ease of broiling, I ended up loving the pan-fried approach! The flavors coupled with the pan-fried crispiness was beyond belief!

Step 1:
Make the Marinade
In a large mixing bowl, grate the ginger and mince the garlic. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter. Add the honey, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Stir well until fully integrated and set aside.

Step 2:
Cooking Option 1: Steam and Pan-Fry 
Clean and trim your Brussel Sprouts and steam them in a large bowl for 5 minutes. Drain the excess water and mix your steamed Brussel Sprouts with your marinade coating them generously and evenly. Let them sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your remaining olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Spoon the Brussel Sprouts into the sauté pan using a slotted spoon (leaving the remaining marinade in the bowl). Sauté on both sides until crispy brown. Add salt to taste and eat wonderfully warm.

Cooking Option 2: Steam and Broil
Clean and trim your Brussel Sprouts and steam them in a large bowl for 5 minutes. Drain the excess water and mix your steamed Brussel Sprouts with your marinade coating them generously and evenly. Let them sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, turn on your broiler to high heat. Prepare a medium-sized sheet pan by lining it with aluminum foil and rub the remaining olive oil and butter evenly across the surface of the foil. Spoon the Brussel Sprouts onto the sheet pan using a slotted spoon (leaving the remaining marinade in the bowl). Broil for 5 minutes and remove from the heat to turn Brussel Sprouts while also basting them with a little of your remaining marinade. Continue to broil another 3-5 minutes until crispy. Salt to taste and eat as soon as you can!