i do not have fond memories of brussels sprouts from my childhood. not to throw my mom under the bus, but she used to serve frozen brussels sprouts that were boiled until they were as tender as baby food, then coated with margarine. i’m not sure if fresh brussels sprouts just weren’t as readily available back in the day, but nowadays they’re everywhere. the flavor of the fresh sprouts versus the frozen (or, god forbid, canned) is immensely better, enough that they even made a convert out of me. in fact, i like the flavor so much now that my preferred method of cooking brussels sprouts is simply to brown them in a bit of butter and oil, then pop them in the oven for just a couple of minutes, serving them while they still have a little crunch left. a lot of times i’ll add in another one of my earthy favorites—the sunchoke. the two vegetables complement each other nicely, and they cook at about the same rate, making the dish quite simple to make. sage brings in a nice aromatic element that adds depth without overpowering, while the pecans add a nice texture as well as a little sweet spice. and if you’re like me and just can’t get enough bacon, feel free to brown some pieces along with the butter to add a smoky element to the mix.

sautéed brussels sprouts and sunchokes with candied pecans
serves 4

candied pecans

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
rice bran oil for frying
3/4 cup raw pecans
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt

there are many different ways to candy nuts, but i’ve found over the years that i get the best results from frying them. some people prefer to make a caramel to coat the nuts and then bake them, but i think that frying makes for a thinner, crunchier candy coating, as the nuts aren’t just sitting in goo while they cook. the trick to frying nuts is to quickly boil them first, which makes the sugar stick and really penetrate. you can do this with virtually any nut, but i find that i use this technique more with pecans, hazelnuts, and walnuts. one thing i am specific about though is the frying oil. rice bran oil has a delicious flavor and a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying. (if you can’t find it, sub peanut oil.) feel free to get creative by adding spices to the sugar—cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg are a nice combo—and beyond the common use as a salad topper, try candied nuts tossed into pastas or chopped up as a garnish for sautéed fish.

1. put the sugar in a small stainless-steel bowl.
2. heat the oil to 375°f in a fryer or heavy-bottomed pan with high sides.
3. in a medium pot, bring 1 quart water to a boil. put the pecans into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. drain the pecans and transfer them to the bowl of sugar, evenly coating them. transfer the pecans to the fryer and fry until they are a deep brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. be careful not to burn the nuts. remove the nuts from the oil and place them on a plate or cooling rack lined with waxed paper. sprinkle with the cayenne and salt. let cool.

brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 fresh sage leaves
1 pound brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed, sliced in half
8 ounces sunchokes (see page xx), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices

freshly ground black pepper

1. preheat the oven to 375°f.
2. heat a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat. add the butter and oil to warm. add the sage leaves and let them cook for 2 minutes. increase the heat to high and add the sprouts and sunchokes. toss to coat, then let them brown and toss again. season with salt and pepper, then transfer to the oven, cooking until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.

assembly

stir in the pecans, adjust the seasoning, and serve.