Sprouts with crispy kale, hot honey and pecans
Simon Hulstone, chef owner of the Michelin-starred The Elephant restaurant in Torquay, has an admission: he’s generally not a big fan of sprouts. However, he loves them in this dish.
“I wanted to make the dish approachable and also a talking point,” he says. “The sweetness of the honey adds a different taste note and then the heat from the chilli comes through and brings a new dimension.”
There’s a delicious crunch, too, from the crispy kale and pecans.
Overview
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
35 mins
Serves
4
Ingredients
80g curly kale, stalks removed
Vegetable or rapeseed oil, for drizzling and frying
500g Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed
100ml hot honey
75g pecans, chopped
Method
Step 1
Heat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas mark ½.
Step 2
Toss 80g curly kale leaves in enough oil to lightly coat, and sprinkle with salt. Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning over now and then, until crisp. Leave to cool.
Step 3
Meanwhile, blanch 500g Brussels sprouts in boiling salted water for a few minutes, then plunge into cold water to halt the cooking and preserve the colour. Drain well, then cut the sprouts in half.
Step 4
Heat a good splash of oil in a frying pan and fry the sprouts over a medium-high heat until golden.
Step 5
Reduce the heat to low, add 100ml hot honey and bubble gently until caramelised, a few minutes. Add 75g chopped pecans and stir to coat.
Step 6
Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the crispy kale and sprinkle with salt.
