How to Make Brussels Sprouts Not Taste Terrible

Caught on film: Brussels sprouts tasting...decent.

I like most food. Some readers have noted that it seems as though I'm positive and excited about almost everything I eat, which I am; in fact, I tend to be positive and excited about most things. I'm just an enthusiastic sort of guy. (Epic tale AND recipe continues after the break!)

Now, of course I prefer some foods over others, but perhaps the only food I have truly disliked, my lifelong tabletop nemesis, as it were, is brussels sprouts.

Yuck. Photo via Chiot's Run

I have never liked brussels sprouts. My entire life, I've only been asked to eat them once a year, on Thanksgiving (my mom likes them), and even then I was allowed to take a "no-thank-you portion." Even now, in the sunset of my youth, when confronted with brussels sprouts my face contorts into something like this: 

via www.Parentearth.com

I was prepared, then, for this Thanksgiving to be like all others, at least in brussels sprouts-related capacities.

But as he so often does, Trader Joe, the scamp, saved the day. Wandering its aisles several weeks past, I came upon the samples bar at the mini-kitchen in the rear. There, the sample of the day was a brussels sprouts salad, something I would ordinarily ignore. But for whatever reason I felt adventurous enough to try the salad -- and lo, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Granted, I enjoyed the dish mostly because it tasted nothing like brussels sprouts -- pretty much anything's tasty when mixed with Manchego cheese and candied walnuts. But, as my family maintains our tradition of eating sprouts on Thanksgiving, I offered to whip up a version of the Trader Joe's salad for our feast.

I can't and won't say it was a hit, but the dish was edible and interesting and it felt good to finally have a way to make brussels sprouts not taste terrible. So, if you find yourself in need of a veggie course and you happen to have brussels sprouts on hand, you might as well do THIS:

Wash a bag of sprouts well in cold water. Using a large, sharp knife, preferably a chef's knife, remove the hard end and finely slice the sprouts. As I discovered, a food processor with a grating attachment will do, but not as well. Dice one large, crisp apple such as a Fuji and grate six ounces of good, fresh Manchego cheese. Mix both in.

Just before serving, toss to taste with a dressing of two parts olive oil to one part Balsamic vinegar, and top with candied, roasted walnuts.

Et voila!