By Kathryn Reed

An email arrives asking if I like Brussels sprouts. I don’t know. Next email arrives with a Brussels sprouts recipe. I figure it’s better I try it in my house instead my friend’s. What if I want to spit it out and they have cloth napkins? What if I get sick? What if I love them so much I make a pig of myself?

Better to be at home fretting about those scenarios.

The latter is what happened. Oh, my! I can see why Kim was cooking up batches of Brussels sprouts nearly nightly.

Sue and I don’t know if we had these weird looking vegetables before. I have always passed them up in the store. I don’t see them on menus. Apparently our moms didn’t serve them to us.

I ran into someone at Grocery Outlet when I was buying some who said her office was just discussing Brussels sprouts. She is a fan of them, but said they stink when you cook them.

Mine didn’t smell bad. Not even a hint of bad.

In doing a bit of research on this veggie – which has nothing to do with Belgium – I found out overcooking Brussels sprouts is what releases sulfur compounds, and therefore the nasty smell.

What I was excited to learn about them is how wonderfully nutritious they are. Lots of vitamin C and other good stuff. But the most impressive thing about Brussels sprouts is their cancer fighting components – colon cancer in particular. Considering there is a history of colon cancer in both of our families, Brussels sprouts may become a regular in our diet.

Kim found the recipe on Epicurious, but it was originally from the February 1999 issue of Gourmet magazine.

 Pan-Browned Brussels Sprouts (serves 2-3 as side dish)

½ pound Brussels sprouts

2 large garlic cloves

1½ T unsalted butter

1 T olive oil

2 T pine nuts

Trim Brussels sprouts and halve lengthwise. Cut garlic into very thin slices. In a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferable well-seasoned cast iron) melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil over moderate heat and cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Reduce heat to low and arrange sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle sprouts with pine nuts and salt to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning, until crisp-tender and undersides are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

With tongs transfer sprouts to a plate, browned sides up. Add garlic and remaining ½ tablespoon butter to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until pine nuts are more evenly pale golden, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture over sprouts and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.