Redarling Brussels Sprouts (F1)

A Syngenta hybrid we sourced from Osborne Seeds, although there are other US vendors.

• small, but tightly wrapped red-purple sprouts

• 2-3’ stalks with dense sprouts

When to Find: November - February

Chef Tim Wastell’s Tasting Notes:

“Resplendently beautiful in glowing shades of purple, ‘Redarling’ Brussels sprouts produced reliably sweet, balanced, slightly ovular, densely packed buttons with seemingly unlimited culinary potential.”

“Raw and light cooking applications of ‘Redarling’ were widely successful due to balanced flavor (mildly piquant meets above average sweetness), crisp yet tender texture and very good color retention. Raw and shredded sprouts were beautiful in salads, providing a faintly sweet baseline that can stand up to bold flavors and textures ranging from light citronette/vinaigrette to full-bodied dairy or nut based dressings.”

“Aggressively roasting whole sprouts either ‘on the bone’ (stalk)  or off resulted in deeply savory, sweetly caramelized buttons that despite losing a bit of bright color, needed little more than good salt and a tiny touch of oil. In a trade of vibrant color for exceptional flavor, Redarling shines when cooked very simply: cut side down in cast iron until brown and crispy, then flipping to barely kiss the top side before serving. Frying quartered Redarling sprouts produced an addictive ‘brassica popcorn’ canvas for flavor combinations from fish sauce caramel with lime to nutritional yeast and Aleppo pepper.”