Brussels sprouts:the delicate winter vegetables have only been grown for over 200 years. Greengrocers in the region around Brussels then managed to grow the coal the size of a walnut. Because Brussels sprouts can withstand temperatures down to minus 12 degrees, they can often be harvested well into April.
As late as 1587, the cabbage with the many small heads was described as a rare and unusable species. Only through intensive breeding work in Belgium around 1785, later also in Paris and England, the wild cabbage gradually changed into a tasty vegetable. The plant forms a leafy trunk about one meter high with small florets the size of a walnut in the leaf axils. The small, green cabbages consist of closely spaced leaves and taste firmer, more aromatic and finer than the large cabbages.
The highest-growing cabbage variety requires relatively complex care, nutrient-rich soil and a good water supply. The harvest is quite complex, the florets are usually still picked by hand. To do this, the stems are taken off and picked in a temperature-controlled room. Picking machines are used in large-scale cultivation. Since Brussels sprouts cannot be stored for a long time, they should always be brought to the market fresh. Cold weather does not seem to bother the "little one", on the contrary, after the first light frost it becomes even more aromatic and tender and the natural sugar content increases.
Brussels sprouts contain a high content of potassium, which is important for water balance, iron, which plays an important role in transporting oxygen in the body, vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system, and vitamin K, which is responsible for blood clotting. as well as folic acid. The roses turn out to be a real fitness maker.
The shopping basket may only end with Brussels sprouts that look fresh, have a nice green and crunchy appearance and have well-closed heads.
Brussels sprouts can be damaged by the vegetable ripening gas ethylene, so do not store them together with apples.
Brussels sprouts can be kept for a few days in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. If you want to store Brussels sprouts, you can blanch and freeze them.
Not only as a side dish – with chanterelles and porcini mushrooms, with bacon and onions in butter – but also as a delicious ingredient in stews and quiches, in stews and soups or as a warm salad, the small florets make a big impression.
