BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BUTTERBEAN AIOLI, PANGRATTATO
Pan-fried Brussels sprouts on a bed of butterbean aioli, topped with pangrattato and a fresh herb salad.
This is more than just a bowl of sprouts, with a rich garlicky bean aioli, crunchy breadcrumbs, and a drizzle of EVOO, it’s rich and almost decadent and would work as a standalone meal. There are a few steps, but it’s worth it! Most can be prepared in advance just leaving the sprouts to cook when you’re ready to serve. If you do want to simplify, the dish is adaptable, you can leave out the butterbean aioli and it will still be delicious.
As always, I love plenty of herbs, their brightness, balances the richness beautifully, and the pangrattato adds a lovely texture. I like to do a mix of breadcrumbs and pumpkin seeds here for extra flavour and nutrients.
I finished this with a good drizzle of Small Batch Tuscan EVOO, a really special oil, peppery and intense, which works beautifully here with the rich creaminess of this dish.
I recommend reading the notes at the bottom before starting the recipe.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BUTTERBEAN AIOLI, PANGRATTATO
serves 4 as a side
Ingredients :
Brussels Sprouts
350g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, extra to finish
10 confit garlic cloves
Salt
Confit Garlic
2 bulbs whole garlic cloves, peeled
3 fresh bay leaves
2 peels of lemon skin
extra virgin olive oil, 220g, or enough to cover the garlic
Butterbean Purée
250g cooked butterbeans
40g confit garlic
40g confit garlic oil
15g / ½ lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
Salt to taste
30g water/ butterbean stock or enough to blend to a smooth puree
Pumpkin Seed Pangrattato
50g raw pumpkin seeds
150g bread
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Zest half lemon
Pinch salt
Herb Salad
30g whole parsley and dill, picked
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
Squeeze of lemon
The Method:
For the confit garlic oil
Peel the garlic cloves and place in a small pan that fits them snuggly, with bay leaves and lemon peel. Cover with olive oil and gently simmer on the smallest hob at the lowest heat for about 40 minutes, until the garlic is golden and very tender. Use a heat diffuser if you have one to maintain the low temperature.
Pumpkin Seed Pangrattato
Heat a large dry frying pan on medium heat, add the pumpkin seeds and toast, toasting occasionally until they start to pop, this should take a few minutes.. Set aside to cool.
Blitz the bread in a food processor to create a rough crumb. Place the frying pan back on the heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil, add the breadcrumbs and toast over for about 5 minutes until golden and crispy.
Pulse the cooled pumpkin seeds in the food processor until you have a rough crumb. Mix this with the breadcrumbs and lemon zest. Set aside to use now or store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Make the Butterbean Purée
To make the puree, simply blend all purée ingredients until smooth, adding just enough water to achieve a creamy consistency. Season with salt to taste.
Prepare the Herb Salad
In a small bowl, mix the herbs and red chilli. Dress with a squeeze of lemon and toss lightly.
Cook the Brussels Sprouts.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and then the Brussels sprouts, with a splash of water - a couple of tablespoons. Cook for 5 minutes until the sprouts have a nice colour on the outside but still have bite.
To Plate, spread the butterbean purée over the base of your plate, top with the sprouts, a good drizzle of [Small Batch Tuscan] extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle over the pangrattato and finish with the herb salad on top.
Serve immediately and enjoy.
NOTES :
This recipe makes more confit garlic than you'll need, but it's such a versatile ingredient that I highly recommend making the full amount—or even more! It keeps well in the fridge and can be used to elevate dishes like roasted vegetables, spread on toast, or add to dips, it gives mellower garlic flavour compared to raw.
Garlic peeling tip: Trim the ends of the garlic cloves, place them in a heatproof bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then drain. The skins should slip off easily.
If using pre-cooked beans, note that some may already be well-salted. Hold off on seasoning until you've blended everything, as additional salt may not be necessary.
