Has there ever been a vegetable with a worse name than Brussels sprouts? For one, why is “Brussels” not possessive? Must the “b” be capitalized? Let’s just decide, here and now, that no it does not. And if you have been misspelling it “brussel sprouts” for years upon years, I sympathize. But don’t let the grammatically frustrating name dissuade you from embracing this rich, adaptable vegetable in your diet.

Brussels sprouts are, in essence, bite-sized cabbages. They are called “brussels sprouts” after the Belgian city that made them popular in their unique cuisine. They are traditionally a winter vegetable, in season from late fall to early spring. Thus, you will often see a dish of brussels sprouts featured in Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. That is a recent phenomenon, however; for many years, brussels sprouts were far from popular, especially in the United States.

I blame this fact on preparation styles that were common for much of the twentieth century. During this period, scientific advancements helped us preserve food for longer and in different forms. Brussels sprouts were often canned in preservatives, which made them slimy and unappetizing to eat later on. Another popular method of cooking was to boil them as one might carrots or peas, which resulted in a rather lumpy, mushy mess.

If you’re skeptical of brussels sprouts, you may have had them prepared in one of these regrettable ways. If you’re open to trying them again, or if you are new to the brussels sprouts phenomenon, I have listed a few of my favorite ways to prepare them below.

Roasting Brussels Sprouts

Roasting is one of the easiest modes of preparing a vegetable. To do this with brussels sprouts, simply halve each sprout, as pictured above, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil per pound, and stick on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Try to shuffle the sprouts around about halfway through to prevent them from sticking to the baking sheet.

You can add spices and seasonings to brussels sprouts to enhance their flavor or complement the other aspects of a meal. One of my favorite recipes suggests you add a tablespoon of fish sauce and a chopped chili pepper to the sprouts before roasting. You can also dice a white onion to add along with some bacon, which is a definite crowd-pleaser.

Raw, Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Even raw, brussels sprouts have a great flavor. They do well in a slaw, in a hash, in risotto, on top of pizza, or as a component in a salad. To prepare brussels sprouts in this manner, you should have a mandolin slicer. Stick a fork through the base of the sprout, and run it over the blade. You will end up with ribbons of brussels sprouts leaves, as pictured above. Shredded sprouts have such a variety of uses in the kitchen, I almost always have some on hand this time of year.

You can find brussels sprouts in most grocery stores nowadays. Sometimes they come in one- or two- pound bags. Other times, especially during these holiday-heavy months, you can find whole stalks of brussels sprouts such as the one pictured at the top of this post. It makes quite an impression to have a whole stalk in your kitchen. Whichever way you find them, consider trying a brussels sprouts dish for your Thanksgiving spread next week!