If there’s one ingredient that always divides opinion on Christmas Day, it’s those little green balls – Brussels sprouts. Many of us can be scarred by being confronted with a handful of sprouts on our plate that have been boiled to the consistency of wet tissue paper.
But love them or hate them, sprouts are part of the big day. While images of boiled sprouts can haunt the dreams of children of all ages, there are other ways to cook them.
These can lift the humble sprout to heavenly new heights of culinary ecstasy, or make them almost bearable. It all depends on who you ask.
But a recipe has made the rounds online that combines the controversial vegetable with the viral kitchen gadget air fryer. Not only that but the recipe has been hailed as “one of the best you’ll ever try”.
Poppy O’Toole, the chef known as the ‘Potato Queen of TikTok’, has shared a simple recipe for sprouts. This is just five ingredients too, the one The Mirror reports.
Poppy is so confident that she believes that even those who are less than fond of sprouts will be won over. She said: “These are possibly the best sprouts you’ll ever try. And they’re all done in the fryer, not another step. You just throw everything in, it’s very easy.
“It’s so easy, you can actually make it on the day, and sprouts are the best.”
The comments section was soon filled with enthusiastic fans, with one exclaiming: “Love love loooooove sprouts! This looks great. Can’t wait to try this.” Another commented: “These are my favorite and the only way I will ever cook sprouts!”
But what is the secret? Well, check out the full recipe below:
Air fryer Brussels sprouts
Ingredients
- 50 g butter, melted
- 500 g frozen Brussels sprouts (if fresh, halved)
- 100 g bacon fat
- 50g pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped
- Sea salt flakes and ground black pepper
Method
Preheat your air fryer to 180°C/350°F.
If using fresh sprouts, cut them in half. Toss the sprouts with butter in a large bowl, season with sea salt and pepper, then place in the air fryer basket.
Poppy suggests adding bacon bags to the mix and cooking for five minutes. Then add chopped chestnuts, shake it and cook again for about five to 10 minutes, depending on how crunchy you prefer.
The sprouts are then ready to serve right up with your festive feast. According to Poppy, the chestnuts add a delightful “Christmassy sweetness” to the sprouts, while the crispy bacon elevates the vegetable with a flavorful crunch.
