Brussels Sprouts Are Gaining in Stature as Food for Good Health : The miniature cabbage-like veggies are being touted by weight-loss gurus and as a dietary aid to preventing cancer.

Many of us can remember those frightening evenings when mom served up (“Oh, no, not again!”) a steamy side dish of smelly, pale, ruefully overcooked Brussels sprouts.

But don’t let childhood torment keep you from enjoying the tasty and healthful rewards of properly prepared sprouts today.

Brussels sprouts are most readily available during the fall and winter months. Although the plant is propagated nearly year-round along California’s coastal agriculture belts, production falls off during the wilting heat of summertime.

Currently, supermarkets such as Hughes, Ralphs and Vons are selling Brussels sprouts for about 70 cents a pound. While the price may be right, don’t expect to sort through a mountain of sprouts, as all markets devote minimal shelf space to this golf ball-size vegetable.

“You just don’t see them in great quantity because they are like a specialty item,” said Don Ames of the Produce Reporter Co., an industry marketing group. “Not everyone eats them like they do lettuces and other staples.”

But maybe they should.

Besides being a tasty dish when cooked properly, sprouts have also become a veggie of choice--a poster veggie, if you will--for many health agencies.

Sprouts, like the other members of the cruciferous family--cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and others--are high in fiber and low in fat and the American Heart Assn. recommends they be eaten regularly, said Camarillo nutritionist Georgia Carlson.

“They help in pulling cholesterol out of the system,” she said. “Brussels sprouts are also high in sulfur, which takes fats out of the body”--and that’s especially beneficial if you’re on a weight-loss program, Carlson said.

The veggies of the cruciferous family may also aid in the prevention of certain cancers, according to the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.

The individual buds “sprout” from a sturdy, fibrous stalk, which reaches 30 inches or more in height. The erect stalk is crowned by an umbrella of large leaves and is completely shrouded by the miniature cabbage head-like sprouts. A single plant is expected to yield from 50 to 100 sprouts.

Undoubtedly, most shoppers only see the sprouts after the buds have been picked from the stem. But shoppers at area farmers’ markets can purchase the entire plant with the sprouts still intact.

Members of Nichols Farms of Pismo Beach, who attend the Ventura (Saturday) and Thousand Oaks (Thursday) markets, offer their Brussels sprouts by the plant. Each plant costs $1.50. A pound of their pre-plucked sprouts goes for $1.

Sprouts left on the plant until they are ready to be used will retain freshness longer, said RichardSager of Nichols Farms.

Nichols’ sprouts season will continue through February and possibly into March, he said.

Brussels sprouts should be available at area farmers’ markets well into the springtime, though, thanks to Michael Melendez and family, who farm near Santa Maria. The Melendezes travel to Ventura’s Wednesday and Saturday markets, plus the Thousand Oaks and Oxnard markets on Thursdays.

The family has raised Brussels sprouts for three years and has since determined that the vegetable is most popular with a particular age group, Michael Melendez said.

“Brussels sprouts are kind of like spinach--it’s one of those things that you disliked when you are young and started eating later in life,” he said. “The people that seem to buy it most are over 30 years old.”

Melendez said their sprout sales continue to climb--a fact that he attributes to the growing awareness of the plant’s nutritional benefits.

Preparing Brussels sprouts is simple enough. Boiling or steaming for a few careful minutes will result in a mild cabbage taste with hints of nutty flavor.

When cooking Brussels sprouts, the credo to live by is: Do not overcook. If you do, your nose will know. Overdone sprouts are an odoriferous nightmare, attributable to their high sulfur content, Carlson said.

“They can stink really, really bad,” Melendez said. And they’re not very pleasing to the palate, either. “Soggy and smelly is what you’ll get.”

Before cooking a batch of sprouts, slice off a thin portion of the stem and remove just the outer layer of leaves, then rinse the vegetable under cool water.

Boil: To retain the sprout’s bright greenish color and fresh taste, drop into salted boiling water--enough so they are completely covered. Return to boil and cook until just reaching tenderness. It should take about 8 minutes. You can check for doneness by piercing the base with a sharp knife.

Steam: Again, slice off a bit of the stem and remove outer leaves. Before steaming, Melendez suggested cutting an “X” about an eighth of an inch deep in the base of the stem. “This allows the steam to penetrate to the center,” he said. Cook for a few minutes and begin to check for desired tenderness.

When purchasing Brussels sprouts, look for those with a fresh, vivid green hue. They should be firm to the touch and unwrinkled. The smaller sprouts are normally more tender and better tasting.

Fresh sprouts may be kept in the crisper for up to five days, Melendez said, although for best flavor you should eat your sprouts within two days.

Details

For a simple and delicious side dish, boiled or steamed Brussels sprouts can be served with melted butter and a sprinkling of grated hard cheese, such as Romano or Parmesan. The vegetable is also versatile enough to be served with a favorite sauce or in a stir-fry preparation.

Below is a recipe that features Brussels sprouts’ traditional partner, chestnuts.

Brussels Sprouts with Water Chestnuts and Ginger

2 teaspoons oil

1 medium clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger root

1/4 cup chicken stock or broth

3/4 cup whole canned water chest nuts, rinsed and drained

1 pound Brussels sprouts, cooked

1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Heat oil in medium skillet. Add garlic and ginger root, and saute 10 seconds over medium-high heat. Add stock and water chestnuts, and bring to boil. Add cooked Brussels sprouts and heat 2 minutes over medium heat, shaking pan or stirring gently. Add mirin and soy sauce, and heat over medium-high heat 2 or 3 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Makes 4 servings.