Zippy Lemon-Butter Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish & Caraway

There's a Brussels sprouts renaissance sweeping the culinary scene, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and come up with a bright and zesty vegetarian alternative to all the heavy, pork-laden Brussels sprouts recipes that are taking over Pinterest and flooding the internet.

Don't get me wrong: I am a huge fan of Brussels sprouts with bacon and other meaty or cheesy accoutrements, but sometimes -- especially when serving a heavy meat entree -- a lighter, healthier side dish is a welcome accompaniment.

I served my zippy Lemon-Butter Brussels Sprouts as a side dish to both beef (German beef gulasch, recipe coming soon) and pork (Cuban mojo roasted pork chops, ditto), and the carnivores devoured the veggie side with as much gusto as they did the meat. This would be a good vegetable side dish to serve for Christmas dinner or any other winter dinner.

If you are vegan, simply substitute a mild oil (canola, vegetable, corn, etc.) for the butter.

Ingredients
2 lbs fresh or frozen Brussels sprouts*
2 Tbs butter (or oil for vegan version)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon (save the grated zest to use as garnish if desired)
2 Tbs prepared horseradish
1 tsp dried dillweed
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup water
Optional garnishes: Chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest

*Frozen Brussels sprouts get a bad rap, probably because most people cook them too long and they become unappetizing grayish balls of mush. Rest assured that if you start with high-quality frozen sprouts (I use organic), add them to this recipe while still frozen and keep a watchful eye on them to prevent overcooking, you will not be disappointed.

Melt the butter or heat the oil over medium heat in a deep saucepan or pot large enough to hold the Brussels sprouts. Add onion & garlic and saute until softened. Add all remaining ingredients (except garnishes), stir and bring to a low simmer. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until Brussels sprouts are tender but not mushy.  Stir and serve sprinkled with parsley and/or lemon zest if desired. Serves 6 to 8.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  If you enjoy the zip and zing of horseradish, check out our horseradish sauces on sale now at the Carolina Sauces online store.