Has anyone else got sprout tops in their veg box this week?
I knew they were on their way because I’ve started to get emails about what to do with them.
So I wasn’t surprised to get one this week.
The good thing about “sprout tops” is that the Brussels Sprouts on them seem to keep fresh longer than “picked” sprouts – so don’t complain if you get one. You’re less likely to be eating wilted, yellowing sprouts. Bags of picked sprouts only keep a few days. A sprouts top will keep (usually) for a week or more.
The easiest thing to do is snap off the sprouts you need and leave the rest for later in the week.
I’ve also been asked a lot what you can do with the “top”, once you’ve eaten the sprouts. My honest answer is: I’ve not yet tried anything with it. So far I’ve always composted them! So here’s the challenge:
Have you found out anything you can do with sprouts tops? Have you used them for soup? For stock? Or even chopped, cooked and eaten them?
If you’ve been getting creative with sprout tops, please let us know 
Thank you.
Clare x
Not sure it’s helpful but I lived in the north-west for quite a while, this seems to be the sprout-growing capital of the UK. When I first moved there I was surprised to see sheep in veg fields eating the remains of the crops. Not sure about cooking stalks but the cattle seemed to enjoy them.
Chop an onion and fry it in some sunflower oil. When the onion is starting to soften, add the sprout tops (cut into thin ribbons). Grind in a little salt and LOTS of black pepper. Cook over a medium heat for around 15 minutes, stirring every so often. The sprout tops will shrink down a bit and should be tender.
(We like it!!)
I just love sprout tops cooked like cabbage.
They are tender and sweet, delicious!
Also very hard to come by on their own.
Some farmers markets sell them and small green grocers but still hard to come by.
This is due to mechanical harvest of sprouts apparently.
Shame.
Try the above link out, it’ll give you a tasty recipe for sprout tops with shallots and walnuts. It’s different and tasty!
http://www.independent.co.uk/living/food_and_drink/recipes/article24756.ece
We have had loads of sprout tops in our veggie box this year. They are sweeter and milder than the sprouts themselves. Even the kids love them. Gently steam them and add a smattering of butter and a grind of black pepper to finish. Mmmmmmmmm
nice recipe. Though it’s been a while since you posted !
(We have had loads of sprout tops in our veggie box this year. They are sweeter and milder than the sprouts themselves. Even the kids love them. Gently steam them and add a smattering of butter and a grind of black pepper to finish.)
I was given sprout tops in my veg box a few times, at first I had no idea what to do with them then after a lot of thought and a few dead internet searches I decided to try them with the old faithful that I use sprouts with at xmas; some nice lean smoked bacon or gammon, chestnuts gently fried in some oil so the leaves are slightly wilted, it makes a lovely warm side salad on a winters evening.
St. John Restaurant in Smithfield Market invariably has them on the menu, and they are wonderful. You could ask them for their recipe, but I think it is quite simple. I would guess that they simply blanch them in boiling water, and then braise them in butter, much like you would do with the sprouts themselves. My problem here in Texas is finding them!
Hal – we’d send you some if it weren’t for the food miles and the fact that they’d spoil : (
Grace – have you thought of submitting your sprout tops recipe for the annual VegBox sprout peddling contest?
http://blog.vegbox-recipes.co.uk/2008/10/30/going-back-to-my-roots-yeah/
Happy sprout season
They are great in veggie soups too – I bought some in place of tuscan kale as suggested by the stall owner and then found some kale further on so have tried both and they are delicious. I think you might also be able to treat it like spinach and once fried or blanched mix through some feta and pine nuts with butter or lemon juice.
Delicious, Emma! And great to hear you’re shopping at stalls – where in the country are you?
Wow that looks brilliant, you should post it to my food photography portal blog thing!
http://www.foodsnappers.com food photography for everyone
Hi all,
I use my brussel tops by pan frying some pancetta lardons in a wok. Once they’ve turned golden I add the brussel tops, thinly sliced. Just as they’re starting to wilt I add a lug of sesame oil to the wok and then turn the heat up a little. Once the pancetta is crispy and the brussel tops have wilted and you can smell the oil they’re cooked.
Ooh Jane that sounds yummy!
May I add the recipe to our databases on VegBox and also over on http://www.ooffoo.com?
I’d love other readers to see it.
Claire
I like to chop n fry with onion, and a cup of mince, or as Lisa Davies above. I live in Japan, and brussels are an expensive rarity. They are about 1 pound money for 8 decent sprouts. Yes, 8 sprouts for a quid ! However, allotments are just what us brits like, and so I’ve had a winter full of sprouts n tops
when are the tops picked?