Name: Brussels Sprouts for People Who Think They Hate Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients: 1 pound Brussels sprouts; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste; 5 cloves garlic, finely minced; 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, or to taste, preferably freshly grated; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Image may contain Andrew Weil Human Person Face Female People Dating Family Bowl and Woman

Brussels Sprouts for People Who Think They Hate Brussels SproutsCookbook cover image courtesy of Random House

I understand why Brussels sprouts top the list of detested vegetables for many people. When they are large, old, or overcooked, they tend to have an obnoxious, barnyardy flavor that some people are sensitive to whereas others are not. You can minimize this by choosing smaller, fresh-looking sprouts and cooking them just until they are crunchy-tender and bright colored. (Do not use frozen sprouts.) The secret of this dish is balancing ingredients to mellow the strong flavor of these miniature cabbages. Olive oil, garlic, red pepper, Parmesan, and, especially, nutmeg do the trick admirably.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Heavenly Halva Cake

Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Kung Pao Cabbage With Tofu

Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.