How to use up leftover Brussels sprouts

Our Community Chef Samantha Wells shares a favourite recipe to help you use up all those leftover sprouts. 

You’ve cracked it. The day is done. You’ve eaten your thigh weight in potatoes, munched through endless nibbly bits and torn into over three different desserts while trying to make interesting conversation with relatives you haven’t seen in months. Sound familiar?

‘Twixmas’, the time-warping time between Christmas and New Year is a good time to play around in the kitchen. There’s often lots of leftovers so you can spend time finding ways to use what you have over bought, cooked too much of or been gifted.

This recipe is from Ger. She and her husband love Brussels sprouts and this cheeky wee ’curry’ gets placed inside a crisp puff pastry parcel for a lovely nibble with drinks. It’s also delicious served with rice or some Bombay potatoes.

Ger’s Brussel Curry

Ingredients

400g Brussels sprouts
½ can chopped tomatoes or 3 medium tomatoes.
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 fresh chilli, sliced thinly or a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes
Thumb of ginger, sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp garam masala
Drizzle rapeseed oil

Method

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Trim and discard any odds and ends off the sprouts, slicing any large ones in half. Briefly submerge into the boiling water for one minute then remove. If using fresh tomatoes cut them in half then slice into thick slices. Heat a drizzle of oil in a shallow saucepan and add the sprouts and red onion.

Cook for two minutes over a medium high heat then add in the chillies, coriander, garlic and ginger giving a good stir before adding in the tomatoes. Season well at this stage with salt and pepper. Continue cooking adding in a little water if it appears dry. Sprinkle in the garam masala and leave for a further five minutes. Taste and adjust to suit.

If you happen to have nuts lurking about you can sprinkle a handful of cashews or salted peanuts over the top. Optionally, add a garnish of coriander.

Samantha Wells, Community Chef