Quick question on cooking sprouts....

newlywed

I bought some sprouts yesterday to make a change from carrots, parsnips and sweetcorn!!!

Anyone any ideas on how long to cook them for - I can't stand them when they're all mushy and overcooked!!!! :eek:

Oh how I wish I had my mum's Good Housekeeping book to look it up in.... :rolleyes:

Edit: I don't need to spruce them up or disguise them, just need to know how long to boil/steam or else microwave them so they don't end up as green mush!!

dumpy

Ooooh you should have had the Christmas ones on for weeks already! No only joking not a clue. I hate the little green horrors but I'm sure some one will be along soon who'll tell you.

newlywed

No, these are for tea either tonight or tomorrow. (And I can't stand them when they've been sitting there cooking/keeping warm for days like in some restaurants).

If you cook your sprouts for weeks, no wonder you hate them!!!

Rikki

I cook mine for about 8-10 minutes. I do keep an eye on them as I don't like mine soft either. The size of them can alter the time they need cooking.

I cut across the base.

newlywed

Thanks for that. I always helped prepare them at home so can do all the criss-cross base and peeling the outside leaves. Just never paid any attention to how long they got cooked for!!!

I'll use that as my guide of when to check them. Thanks.

renegade

Rapid boil in salted water for 5 mins, reduce the heat and cook until a fork will pierce but not split the sprout about 20 mins should do it. I love sprouts I could eat them all year round with my roast dinners. Good Luck.

Rikki

Just forgot to say. Use boiling water from the start.

Seakay

My favourite sprout recipes:
1.
Boil for 2 minutes, liquidise with a little cooking water (or milk or cream for a treat) add salt, pepper, nutmeg (optional) and reheat very gently. An amazing fresh green colour; even people who don't like sprouts will eat it!

2.
Slice raw sprouts to produce fine shreds. Stir fry very briefly, add a few drops of toasted sesame oil before serving.
3.
Shred sprouts as above while a thickly sliced onion fries gently in a covered pan. Chop a peeled banana into chunks. Add banana and shredded sprouts to pan and stir in. Cook with lid on for a minute or so until all hot (but OH prefers leaving it for 5-10 minutes until very soft) add salt and pepper and serve.

newlywed

Hmmm like the idea of shredded sprouts in stirfry... can see me trying that one actually.

But banana and sprouts????? Em might give that one a miss. I don't like hot cooked mushy bananas (although I like banana cake/bread etc). The others sound good though, Thanks

newlywed

renegade wrote:

Rapid boil in salted water for 5 mins, reduce the heat and cook until a fork will pierce but not split the sprout about 20 mins should do it. I love sprouts I could eat them all year round with my roast dinners. Good Luck.

25 minutes - are you sure they don't end up all mushy inside????

Seakay

newlywed wrote:

Hmmm like the idea of shredded sprouts in stirfry... can see me trying that one actually.

But banana and sprouts????? Em might ll give that one a miss. I don't like hot cooked mushy bananas (although I like banana cake/bread etc). The others sound good though, Thanks

I know that it sounds disgusting, but honestly the flavours go really well together and if you only cook for a minute or so the bananas don't go mushy. I also do this recipe with spring greens.