Brussels sprouts are sometimes a controversial side dish, but there are a few ways to make them perfectly buttery and delicious.

However, many people often pass on this green veggie at the dinner table, as while traditional during the holiday season they can taste very bitter.

Cooking Brussels sprouts in fat will make them much more flavourful and ensure they always come out as one of the most mouth-watering side dishes this Christmas.

Mary Berry, the former judge of Bake Off and national treasure, has shared that there are plenty of recipe variations to ensure they come out tasty

In an article for the Sun, Mary wrote: “Sprouts are an essential part of Christmas lunch, although not everyone likes them!

“This is one vegetable that really can’t be kept hot, so cooking and serving the sprouts should be the last job before you sit down to eat.”

How to make buttery Brussels sprouts

Ingredients  

The essentials you will need:

• 900g of Brussels sprouts
• 25g of butter
• Salt and pepper

Variations you can add (optional):

• 50g of butter
• 200g of thinly sliced pancetta or bacon
• One onion
• 225g of halved chestnuts

Basic method

According to Mary, the trick to making Brussels spouts is to make sure they are not overcooked.

Boiling or steaming Brussels sprouts can come out delicious, but it is also common for them to come out too bitter if cooked for too long.

Mary has said Brussels sprouts should be boiled in salted water for around five to six minutes depending on they’re size. Make sure to test often to make sure they are not too soft, as that will make sure they do not come out too bitter.

Once cooked, drain them, toss them in butter and then serve immediately.

• Support fearless journalism
• Read The Daily Express online, advert free
• Get super-fast page loading

Don’t miss…
Chef’s 20-minute caramelised carrots recipe is to die for and super easy to make[RECIPE ]
Jamie Oliver’s roast duck recipe labelled ‘festive and superb’[HOW TO ]
Chef’s ‘perfect’ garlic roast potato recipe with just five ingredients[LATEST]

Alternative method 

However, you can also add variations to the traditional Brussels sprouts to make them even more packed with flavour.

Mary wrote: “Once boiled, stir-fry the sprouts with lardons of bacon until the bacon is crisp, or…Toss the sprouts in butter with chopped herbs, such as chives and parsley.”

Mary has Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta which she has said on the BBC that they make a “lovely alternative” to the traditional recipe.

Once the Brussels sprouts have been boiled, simply heat 25g of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add in the pancetta and fry for around three to four minutes until the pancetta is golden and crispy. Once ready, remove from the an and drain on some kitchen towel paper.

Add 25g more butter to a pan, add in a chopped onion and 225g of halved chestnuts. Fry for eight to 10 minutes until the onion has softened then sit in the pancetta.

Stir your brussel sprouts into the pancetta mixture, season with salt and pepper, then your buttery Brussels sprouts are ready to serve.

Source: Read Full Article