- Merrill
Last week, Amanda wrote about horseradish hash browns from The Vanderbilt, now a favorite local dinner spot for both of us. My husband and I love to go there on a weeknight, sit at the bar, which faces the open kitchen, and order a bunch of appetizers and nibbles. Nibbles are a Vanderbilt specialty. There's great homemade beef jerky and pickles, and blistered shishito peppers with dipping salt, but the undisputed star -- which we order every time we go -- is the fried Brussels sprouts. The sprouts arrive in a towering pile; the leaves are pulled apart and fried, with the sweet hearts tossed into the oil and cooked just to the point of tenderness. The crisp shards are then painted with a mix of sriracha, honey and lime juice, making the sprouts tangy, hot and sweet all at once.
This dish has gained some attention outside the restaurant, and blogger Cathy Erway recently included her version (in which the sprouts are roasted) in a piece for Brooklyn Bread. But I wanted to try to get as close to the version at the Vanderbilt as possible, so last week I painstakingly peeled a pound of sprouts and got frying. Happily, I discovered that if you're willing to deal with a little hot oil, you can do a pretty good job of replicating these guys at home. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts with Honey and Sriracha
Adapted from The Vanderbilt
Serves 2 to 4
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (or to taste)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- Juice of 1 large lime
- Salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
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merrill
I'm a native New Yorker with over a decade of experience as a private chef, cooking instructor and food writer/editor; I have a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu, as well as a highly practical BA in Comparative Literature (Italian and English). I live with my husband and daughter in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where we visit the farmers market most weekends.
Some past articles from this author you'll love:
A Potluck Lunch
Make-Ahead Meals
Feeding a New Family
29 Comments on Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts with Honey and Sriracha:
Yum! My boyfriend loves Brussels sprouts, I'm making these for dinner. Any suggestions on what to serve them with?
I like frying up a few strips of bacon first, remove them and chop them up and then sautéeing and caramelizing them in the bacon fat. They sweeten nicely when they caramelize and tastes ohhhh so good!!
Has anyone tried this with roasting the brussels instead of frying? I would prefer not to fry..wondered if the taste is still as crunchy-yummy as this sounds.
i actually did yesterday. i was roasting my sprouts tossed in walnut oil, salt/pepper and saw this recipe, so I made a dipping sauce of the sriracha, honey and lime (used equal parts sriracha and honey) and poured it over the roasted brussel sprouts. tasted delicious; though I'm sure the frying is crispier.
Yum, this sounds great. Love the sweet and spicy.
must. make. soon!
i am reading this as I wait for my brussel sprouts to roast in my toaster oven and kicking myself for not checking in with food52 before cooking! sounds delish!
tried these last night and they were a hit! i loved the sauce and will be using that in other things as well
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoSo glad they worked out for you. And I hadn't thought of using the sauce elsewhere, so thanks for mentioning it!
We had them again on Friday before going to an event. A perfect, fairly quick and tasty snack. My boyfriend is already asking when we are having them again :)
I JUST tried these on Friday night for the first time and have been obsessed ever since. My husband (who wasn't with me when I tried them) is sick of hearing about them. How exciting to find your recipe here tonight. What a funny coincidence! Can't wait to try... totally worth the effort!
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoA great coincidence indeed!
My new "junk" food....
Oh yeah!
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoThanks, guys!
OH F* yeah! Merrill whoa... Totally using this for next big dinner, maybe as a Passover side???
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoI'm flattered!
I canNOT wait to try these. I'm an ardent Brussels sprout lover (total convert!), and have been doing them the same way 2x or 3x a week for the past month: sliced thin, sauteed in olive oil and butter (and bacon fat, if I have it), until beginning to char, then salted and lemon juiced, with a little zest if I'm not feeling lazy. And some chopped sundried tomatoes, if I'm especially unlazy. And lots of pepper. It only takes a few minutes, and I can eat the whole pound by myself.
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoYour way sounds delicious -- wish you'd add that recipe to the site!
Oh my. Wow. I love Brussels and Sriracha. This is excellent.
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoThanks!
This is not similar to any way I have ever prepared brussels sprouts - I have to confess I'm a recent convert - but I'm anxious to try it. Siracha, honey, and lime, oh my!
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoLet me know if you do!
I feel as though it's my destiny to love this dish.
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoI think it may be.
This is how I typically prepare brussell sprouts too. One way to speed the prep work...after the outer leaves are pulled off and I get to the point where there's a stalk, and the smaller leaves are more challenging to remove, I use a bird's beak knife (Tourne Knife), to core the stalk. After that, most of the smaller leaves pull apart.
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoYes, great tip -- thanks for adding!
This is somewhat similar to the way I prepared my Brussels sprouts for the Parisian Breakfast quiche I entered into your favorite winter tart contest (which received an editor's pick - yay!). Mine are sauteed in butter instead of fried in oil, but just as addictive.
http://orangemadeleines.blogspot.com
Merrill is a co-founder of food52.
added about 1 year agoSounds delish!
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