Last week I brought you something super healthy and delicious. This time… well, it is still delicious and at least it is a vegetable. A vegetable tossed with chorizo, but still, a vegetable.

And you know what? Who cares!? This is delicious. This is the dish that will make people that don’t think they like Brussel sprouts, like Brussel sprouts. Seriously. It could change minds. Basically, you either A. tear apart what feels like a million Brussel sprouts into their tiny leafy components, or B. you go to Trader Joe’s, where I’m told you can buy bags of Brussel sprout leaves. My friend told me this as I was well into the breaking down of the Brussel sprouts, but what can you do? I took the long road and tore them apart. It isn’t a big deal, but if you have the other option, I’d take it. It would cut the time to make this in half.

The nutty green flavor of the sprouts works really well with the subtle flavor of the almonds. The nuts provide a nice crunch and the chorizo makes everything taste better. This is a great little side dish. Give it a go! It’ll make a Brussel sprout convert out of you.

Brussel Sprout Leaves with Chorizo and Almonds

• 1/2 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
• 6 oz Spanish Chorizo, thinly sliced if in links, or ground
• 3 Tb olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 lb brussel sprouts, stems trimmed, halved, leaves separated
• salt and pepper
• 1 Tb Red wine vinegar

Cook chorizo in a large skillet. If you are using sliced, cooked chorizo, cook until fragrant and crisp. If using ground, cook until cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet.

Heat oil in same skillet and cook garlic and thyme over medium heat until garlic is fragrant. Working in batches, add sprout leaves, tossing and let them wilt slightly before adding more. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until leaves are browned in spots and tender, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add vinegar, almonds and chorizo. Toss and taste. Add more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.

Enjoy!

Photographs by Jessica Yager.