Linguine with Brussels Sprouts, Shallots, and Asiago

This week I chose to use Brussels sprouts as my main ingredient.  Brussels sprouts have a reputation for being one of those really gross vegetables that kids don’t want to get anywhere near.  Until last year, I had never tried them out of fear from their reputation.  I figured if it was scorned by kids the world over there would be no chance of me ever liking it.  However, after really looking at them for the first time I realized that they just looked like little heads of cabbage, and cabbage was something that I had grown to like.  After taking the risk and trying them for the first time, I learned that they’re really quite tasty little vegetables and I was eager to try new recipes with them.

Brussels sprouts look really, really cool when you see them on the stalk.  Most of the time when you see them at the store they have already been trimmed away from the stalk and are sold looking like the little mini heads of cabbage that they are.  However, they don’t look like cabbage when they are grown.  They grow on a tall, narrow stalk, and the part that is eaten are the little buds that grow along the side of the stalk.  I think one of the first places I ever saw Brussels sprouts in their natural form was on the ride “Living with the Land” at Epcot in Disney World, where they were grown hydroponically.  Growing them hydroponically just made them look even that much cooler.

Although named for the capital of Belgium, I was intrigued to learn that Brussels was not their place of origination.  The first Brussels sprouts were actually grown in Ancient Rome, where they were cultivated from a form of wild cabbage.  However, they first became popular while being grown in Belgium in the 13^th Century, and they quickly spread throughout all of Europe and eventually to the United States.  I just realized while researching Brussels sprouts how food-oriented Belgium is in its popularity.  I mean, I honestly know nothing about the nation other than the fact that it has waffles, chocolate, and Brussels sprouts.  What other nation is known primarily for its food?  I can’t think of any.  Today the Netherlands are the largest producers of Brussels sprouts, followed by Germany.  The United Kingdom is also a big producer of the vegetable, rivaling the Netherlands in the amount of Brussels sprouts produced each year, but it is not exported to other countries. 

Brussels sprouts were first brought to the United States in the 18^th century by French settlers who came to Louisiana.  (For those of you like me who know nothing about Beligum, it is located directly north of France).  They quickly became popular, and even Thomas Jefferson is known to have grown them at Monticello.  Their growth rapidly expanded along with the boundaries of our nation, and today the largest areas of production in North America are in California, Baja California, and Washington.  Perhaps the true manifest destiny of our nation was to grow Brussels sprouts on the west coast.     

Brussels sprouts grow the best in cool areas where the temperatures are generally between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  They reach their peak in autumn through mid-winter, becoming sweeter in flavor after a mild frost.  They have many nutritional benefits, including a good amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and dietary fiber.  Unlike most green vegetables, Brussels sprouts are also high in protein.  Although they lack the full spectrum of amino acids, when paired with whole grains the full spectrum is achieved.  Too bad I didn’t know this ahead of time or I would have bought whole-grain pasta instead of regular.    

Brussels sprouts also contain a compound known as sulphoraphane, a chemical believed to have very potent anti-cancer properties.  However, as the name implies, this compound also contains sulphur, which isn’t exactly known for having a pleasant smell.  If Brussels sprouts are overcooked, the sulphur smell becomes more noticeable, resulting in the belief that Brussels sprouts stink or taste gross.  When cooking this dish I decided to be extra careful not to overcook them.

This recipe starts by roasting 2 whole shallots in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35 minutes.  Peel the shallots and place them in a small baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and a little salt and pepper, wrap in foil, and roast until they’re tender.  After they have cooled, cut them into slices and set aside for later.

While the shallots are roasting, thinly slice one pound of Brussels sprouts and grate ¼ cup (2 oz.) Asiago cheese.  

 

Boil a large pot of salted water, add one pound of pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 or 7 minutes.  Remove 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until lightly browned (careful not to burn it!).  Stir in the Brussels sprouts along with a pinch of salt and ½ teaspoon of sugar.  Cook, stirring often, until the Brussels sprouts begin to soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and cook for about one more minute.  

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add ¾ cup heavy cream and the shallots.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the Brussels sprouts to the drained pasta and stir well. 

 
Add some of the reserved pasta water if it seems dry.  Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the Asiago cheese. 

This dish was really good, and I was surprised at the sweetness that I tasted from the Brussels sprouts and the shallots.  Roasting the shallots really gave them a good flavor.  I will admit that the original recipe called for 5 shallots, not 2.  However, I didn’t pay attention to the amount of shallots before I went shopping, so I just grabbed a pack of shallots thinking that would be enough.  I think adding a few more shallots could have definitely helped make the shallot flavor more noticeable, but even with just 2 I still thought it ended up tasting good.

Since I feel kinda bad about not knowing anything about Belgium, here are some fun facts:

• Smurfs are Belgian.  
• The city of Ypres is the site of the Cat Festival. This dates from the medieval ritual of throwing cats off the top of the belfry. Today's politically correct society dictates that stuffed toy cats be hurled instead.
• There are more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world.
• The first recorded lottery to involve buying a ticket and distribution of prize money was held in Bruges on February 14th, 1466.  It was held to raise money for the poor of the town.
• French fries actually originated in Belgium.  (What?? So they are known for chocolate, waffles, Brussels sprouts AND French fries? What a cool place to live for a person who loves food.)
• Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo, and Waterloo is in Belgium.
• Belgian endives! I just thought of another food to add to the list!
• Education is required by law to all children until the age of 18 in Belgium.
• A Belgian founded the Holy Roman Empire.
• Belgium has one of the lowest proportions of McDonald's restaurants per inhabitant in the developed world, which is 7 times less than the United States.
• Belgium is one of the few countries in the world where it is required by law to vote.
• Europe's first modern health resort opened in the town of Spa in the 18th century.
• Belgium has 3 official languages: Dutch, French, and German.