Fry

Flash-fried Brussels sprouts with garlic and lime

October  2, 2013
4
1 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

From San Francisco to New York, Brussels sprouts are making a special appearance on the menus of trendy restaurants everywhere. The new way to serve the miniature cabbages is…fried!

I’ve never been one to follow trends, but after sampling them a few times, my husband, Marc, begged me to make them at home. It took a few weeks for me to consent, but I finally gave in and came up with my own version of deep-fried Brussels sprouts. —Viviane Bauquet Farre

Test Kitchen Notes

The dish was a big hit with my family. The combination of garlic and lime was a perfect complement to the mellow, slightly bitter-sweet taste of the sprouts. I went with double the amount of salt and added a few red chili flakes at the end. I was expecting these to be super crispy, but they wound up being more flash-roasted, with crispy edges. They were impressive! I will definitely be making these again.  —cheesypennies

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Ingredients
  • 1 large garlic clove, skinned and crushed (I use a microplane grater)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, rinsed, patted dry, trimmed, and cut in half lengthwise
  • Canola or peanut oil for deep frying
Directions
  1. Place the garlic, salt, cayenne, lime juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended and set aside.
  2. Heat a deep fryer to 375° F (190° C). Place the Brussels sprouts in a wire basket and dip them in the oil. Immediately cover the pan to prevent the hot oil from splattering on you or your counter top (the Brussels have a very high moisture content and intense splattering will occur during the first minute of cooking). Fry the Brussels sprouts for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and quickly blot them with more paper towels. Place the Brussels in a large bowl. Drizzle with the garlic-lime dressing and toss until well coated. Serve piping hot!
  3. Cook’s note: If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can fry the Brussels sprouts in a large skillet on your stove. Pour enough oil to reach 1 1/2” up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil until it reaches 375° F (190° C) and proceed with step 2.

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4 Reviews

cheesypennies October 24, 2013
I was a tester for these in the Dinner Party Sides contest, and loved them. Thank you for the recipe!
Viviane B. October 28, 2013
Thank you so much for your note... I'm absolutely delighted you loved these flash-fried Brussels!
dymnyno October 18, 2013
I posted my recipe(misspelled) and then noticed your recipe. Yikes...I usually google recipes to make sure I don't post something similar or reinvent the wheel. I made your recipe tonight to be a side to ribs and sweet potato mash and it was fantastic!. My recipe is so different tasting, more like potato chips or onions rings that would accompany hot dogs or hamburgers...very crispy and not at all like a "real: vegetable side. I love both versions but yours is truly a wonderful side for steak and other meats and fish.
Viviane B. October 28, 2013
Dymnyno, My apologies for this late reply to your wonderful comment... and thank you so much for letting me know that you love this recipe. I'm over the moon! It does make a fantastic side dish or contorni, but it also works marvelously as an antipasti or hors d'oeuvre! Bon appétit and happy cooking!