Many people are familiar with sprouts – the little mini-cabbages that ripen last in the fall. But few know that you can also eat the tops, or the leaves. The time to cut the growing tip of the plant is now, when the sprouts are just beginning to form. This is done so that the energy of the plant goes into growing the sprouts, rather than creating new leaves. The best time to prune the tops is in September, about a month before the first harvest of actual sprouts. Cutting the bottom 6 leaves on the stalk may also help the sprouts to develop. So in addition to the sprouts everyone knows that are harvested in November in our region, there are also tops and leaves.

Those leaves and tops are tender and packed with nutrients – perhaps even more so than the sprouts themselves. Chemical analyses, conducted at the Faculty of Technology in Novi Sad during 1998 and 1999 on the variety Lunet showed that the leaves have a higher nutritive value than sprouts for most factors measured. A 1 cup serving has just 56 calories, yet contains 4 whole grams of fiber and more vitamin C than an orange! The greens are very rich in the minerals calcium and potassium, vitamins A, C, K, folate and fiber. Like other cruciferous vegetables, they contain nitrogen compounds (indoles) that help fight cancer and heart disease. They also help lower cholesterol. They’re a true autumnal superfood!

These tiny cabbages were rare and prized by Roman chefs, who imported them from the coasts of northern and western Europe, where they grew wild. In 1820, sprouts were formally endorsed as Belgium’s official green – and thus became known for that nation’s capital, Brussels. By the middle of the 19th century, they had become very popular in Britain. Today, the English remain the world’s top consumers of Brussels sprouts.

Those tender tops are delicious. Cook them as you would kale or broccoli. A simple way to serve them is cut into strips (include most of the stalk, which is quite tender), then saute quickly in a little good quality olive oil with a couple cloves of crushed garlic. Let the garlic flavor the oil, then add the greens. If you like them hot, you can add a little chili powder along with the garlic. Just a couple minutes in the oil should make them nicely tender. Prepared this way, they make a great side dishes for chicken, pork or beef

You can also steam or boil them, or add to soup. They cook slightly longer than spinach, but take less time than collards. Take care not to overcook; cooking them too long makes them bitter and mushy, and destroys some of the vitamins. Like other brassicas, they’re awesome combined with eggs; steam or cook them first to add to a quiche or frittata.

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Brussels sprouts greens frittata

Ingredients:

About 4 cups Brussels sprouts greens & tops

1 onion

2 teaspoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

3 medium eggs

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 to 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

4 cherry tomatoes

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Directions:

Wash greens and tops. Place in saucepan with one-fourth cup of water. Simmer five to eight minutes.

In the meantime, chop onion and sautee in 1 teaspoon of the butter, sprinkled with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 5 minutes over low heat.

In bowl, beat eggs with remaining half-teaspoon of salt. Stir in cottage cheese & Parmesan.

Remove greens from heat, and let cool. Place on cutting board and chop coarsely; add to the bowl with the eggs. Add the sauteed onions to the bowl with the eggs. Stir to combine.

Melt remaining teaspoon of butter in same skillet that onions cooked in. Pour the egg-greens mixture into the skillet and spread evenly. Cover, and cook on low.

Quarter the cherry tomatoes and arrange on top. Continue cooking until eggs are set. Serve with a side of potatoes or bread. Serves two to three.

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Brussels sprouts greens soup

Ingredients:

6 cups broth

1/2 lb. Brussels sprout greens

1 to 2 teaspoons butter or olive oil

1 large onion

1 carrot

8 oz. mushrooms

3 potatoes

1/4 cup sour cream

1 – 2 Tablespoons flour

Directions:

Note: We make our own broth first, with beef bones, a little salt, allspice, bay leaves, carrot, parsnip, leek and celery root. Place all the above in a soup kettle and cook several hours.

Sautee onion, carrot and mushrooms about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally (we use a nonstick pan) until nicely caramelized. When done, add to the broth, along with the leaves and diced potatoes. Cook 20 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.

In small pot or bowl, stir together sour cream with flour; add a ladle or two of broth from the soup and stir well to combine. Pour this back into the soup, and heat slowly, stirring, to prevent curdling.

Serves three to four as a hearty soup course (more if smaller servings).

Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at www.wordsaremyworld.com or on Facebook as Author

Yvona Fast.