Brussels sprouts detente

Are you Brussels sprouts-averse? This recipe may help. It takes the divisive earthy crucifer and greets it head-on with equally potent ingredients: kimchi, gochujang and yes, fish sauce. Now, depending on how you feel about these fermented ingredients, you might consider this an abomination.

However, I encourage you to shift your view and liken it to a double (or triple or quadruple) negative, where the sum of the negatives produces a positive. And if you happen to be a fan of these ingredients, then you can simply call this recipe a grand slam. Kimchi is a traditional Korean condiment made from salted fermented vegetables.



It often includes cabbage and seasonings including sugar, ginger, garlic and chiles. It's also rich in nutrients and gut-healthy probiotics. Gochujang is a funky, spicy-sweet Korean mash of fermented soybeans, chiles and glutinous rice.

And while fish sauce may sound frightening, a restrained splash is universally revered for the salty, umami depth of flavor it adds to a dish. When these ingredients converge on Brussels sprouts, they respectively keep each other in check. Their assertiveness is muted, collectively taming any outrageous funkiness, without canceling each other out.

You might say it's an arrangement of mutual cooperation. I call it a cruciferous detente. ** ** ** Kimchi Brussels Sprouts Active time: 5 to 10 minutes Total time: 25 to 30 minutes Yield: Serves 4 Sauce: 1 tablespoon gochujang 1/2 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar 1/2 teaspo.