Quick Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Walnuts and Lemon

Quick Sauteed Brussels Sprouts With Toasted Walnuts

This is an Associated Press recipe found in the newspaper of my hometown.

The simple tricks for perfect Brussels sprouts

The simplicity of this technique is, of course, a huge bonus on Thanksgiving Day, when you are trying to cook 500 other dishes at the same time. You can either pre-saute the sprouts, then quickly reheat them when the moment is right, or just cook them from start to finish while someone else is carving the turkey.

Even more impressive than the process is the result — the surprising deliciousness of these shredded sauteed Brussels sprouts. You don't need a lot of fat to cook them in, and the little guys pair up nicely with all sorts of toasted nuts. I've opted for walnuts in this recipe, but swap in your favorite. And a tart little spritz of lemon provides the finishing touch.

Take my word for it; when it comes to Brussels sprouts, this recipe has turned haters into believers over and over again.

By the way, who put the Brussels in Brussels sprouts? The Belgians, of course. The sprouts were first cultivated in large quantities in Belgium in the late 1500s, and introduced to the U.S. in the 1800s.

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Quick Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Walnuts and Lemon

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Servings: 6

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Put the walnuts in a pie plate and toast them in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are fragrant and are a shade darker.

Trim the Brussels sprouts and discard any damaged outside leaves. Use a food processor fitted with the thin slicing blade to shred the sprouts.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the sprouts and lemon zest, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. The pan will seem very crowded in the beginning, but the Brussels sprouts will shrink down quickly. Season with salt and pepper, 1 to 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and the walnuts. Serve right away.