It is so far----The last of the Brussels Sprouts. We picked the last of the marble-sized sprouts off the trunk and then removed the tops (what we call, "sprout cabbages" here). We didn't want to waste those tops. We cleaned the tops there and had a huge bag full of leaf-debris. We sacked that up and stopped by the deer park on the way home and fed this to the deer. They LURVED it. They almost sounded like hogs eating slop when they fell upon the sprout waste. When we got upstairs we stalled it out and did the final check and excess stem removal.s. Well, the harvesting is quickly and easily done...but then the prep and cooking of it---that is another story. There was lots to do, so here's how we went about it: Priliminary-- make some meatballs, fry them and let them simmer for ± 20 mins Step 1-- Peel and cut spuds into small pieces and put them on to boil (10-15 mins depending upon how much and how hot) Boil the cut up sprout cabbage ----while they boil---- Step 2-- Put on the fatty bacon bits (spekkies) to fry Step 3-- When the spuds are ready dump them into a large bowl and add some butter and milk Step 4-- Once this is properly mashed add the cut sprout tops, spekkies, rendered fat, more butter and milk if necessary for you Step 5-- Scoop as much stamppot as you feel comfortable consuming in one meal onto your plate Step 6-- You then make a sort of deep "pot hole"-like depression in the middle of the stamppot, place one or two meatballs in that and then liberally fill the depression with the meatball gravy until it overflows.* Bon appétit ! * Keep the gravy handy as you may want to top that depression up.
S, those small heads of cabbage are actually the brussel sprouts at the top of the stem where the leaves are forming? they form into a head? I have never grown b.sprouts. I don't have enough of a market to sell them in the Fall and Winter. I don't think my family would eat them. not sure I would either as I still haven't had one that I liked..... the last one I had to choke down in front of some children. I din't want to set a bad example for them. somethings we just do or don't like.... raisins is another. none of us like them. I haven't had raisins in the house since the children were little and wouldn't eat them.
NETTY--Thanks. They were indeed very tasty. One must like the taste of sprouts though, that is for sure. CAROLYN--The ball-like "tops" are simply the tops of the plants. The leaves form a ball, but the leaves open up and the stalk grows further upwards. There are mini-mini-mini sprouts just under the leaves on what would be the stalk. Most folks do not eat this, thay just compost it...but the Bride and I like the flavour of them and they are just plain ole brassica leaves. We eat beet leaves in our salads too. I mean, why waste, if they taste good..
Not a waste. I actually just read a book called "the Lean Farm" by Ben Hartman. it is all about waste and how to cull it. It was a great read. Much of it I had inside my head already but it was the re-enforcement of reading what I was trying to put into practice... just in a better thought pattern and actually doing some of the things I KNOW I need to do. I Just did not know the top leaves grew in a "ball" like cabbage does.
I read a few comments of the book and watched a couple of youtube vids. It sounds absolutely like something for you. You are the exact audience that the book is aimed at. I think that some of the principles can be used by any gardener. Thanks for the tip.
They look so yummy!!! Can I have some? ... Brussels Sprouts is a luxury here and they are imported. It is only available in the bigger supermarts once in a rare while. I can't remember when was the last time I had them because it was such a long time ago Now a days we get a different sprout which looks a little like Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage Sprouts and we all love them.
Cheers KK--Sorry to hear that you do not get them there often. I can certainly understand that they would not grow there though. They do have a great flavour....but not one everyone likes. My mate, Pim is Indonesian but does not like them at all. He doesn't even like to talk about them. hahaha You are too right, ODIF-- We make the stamppot with several different veggie sorts throughout the winter.
I love cabbage, B. sprouts and anything that tastes like them !! Basically if it grows,, I like it ! I also use beet greens in my salad mix. I have never tried B.sprouts late season because we can`t get the plants. they sell them early spring here but it takes so long to maturity Texas heat gets them before they can make decent sprouts. I do not have the patience for seed starting in 98 degree weather. Would love to have that meatball/gravy recipe. Cabbage and mashed potatoes mixed is an Irish thing and I have done that. Sjoerd try adding radish seed pods to a salad or just for snacking. Quite good and a bit milder than radish. They say the greens are good cooked while young but haven`t tried that !
I remember taking the "sprout cabbages‘ to work when we had an allottment, people thought they were cabbages...ha! I miss eating sprouts but dare not touch them, they give me stomach cramps... K
Hiya CAROLYN--Well, they do not per se grow in balls. The things that look like balls are actually the leaves that grow along the stalks. As the plant grows the stalk get longer and the balled-up leaves bend downwards and outwards, revealing the little sprouts . Before the weather got cold, the leaf "balls" were much, much looser. MART--Nice to hear that you like them as well. I can see what you mean about the heat there getting the sprouts before they mature. They really are a cool weather plant, in my experience. The meatball gravy recipe : Well Mart, it is so simple that there really isn't a recipe. You cook the meatballs in butter. As the process continues, fat in the ground beef balls renders out, so that when there is just a few minutes left to cook them, one shakes in some au jus powder and stirs until it is dissolved. That's it really, the flavour comes from the meat primarily which had some garlic, onion, pepper and so forth in it. Table salt and pepper?--Well, you add according to your taste. See what I mean? I cheat with that gravy with the mix. hahaha. I don't care though, because it is very tasty. Mate, I am going to look into that radish pod thing you were talking about. I appreciate that tip. Oh dear KATIE-- Sorry to hear that. Better stay away from them things. Anyhow, I appreciate your comments.
I normally don`t use anything like au jus powder but I can make do with what we have here ! I just plant a few radishes and let some go to seed for those seed pods ! Just have to watch and not let them get tough and woody.
