Nutty Brussels Sprouts

Four ingredients, twenty minutes, and Brussels sprouts that taste nothing like the mushy, sulfurous ones from childhood. Steamed until just tender, then tossed while still hot with extra-virgin olive oil, toasted hazelnuts, and a pinch of ground cardamom.

Cardamom is the unexpected ingredient that makes this work. It’s warm, slightly floral, and has a citrusy edge that lifts the earthy sprouts out of the ordinary. An eighth of a teaspoon is tiny, but cardamom is potent. You’ll catch it on every other bite, a quiet warmth underneath the nuttiness.

Steam the sprouts, don’t boil them. Steaming preserves their bright green color and keeps them firm with a slight bite. Boiling waterloggs them and leaches out both flavor and nutrients. Seven to ten minutes over rolling water is the window. Poke with a knife at seven minutes and pull them when there’s just a bit of resistance.

Toss everything in the serving bowl while the sprouts are hot. The heat from the sprouts warms the olive oil and releases the cardamom’s aroma, and the toasted nuts pick up a little of that warmth too.

Chef Tips

• Trim the stems flush and remove only truly loose outer leaves. Over-trimming wastes the sprout
• Cut larger sprouts in half so everything cooks at the same rate
• Toast the hazelnuts or almonds in a dry skillet until fragrant and lightly browned. Raw nuts taste flat here
• Use your best extra-virgin olive oil. With so few ingredients, quality shows

Variations

• Swap hazelnuts for toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving for brightness
• Toss in a tablespoon of dried cranberries for a sweet-tart pop of color