The latest cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen is “The Side Dish Bible,” a curated collection of 1,001 recipes for everything from roasted artichokes to stuffed zucchini.
This hefty book should become a go-to reference for home cooks; it’s a winning combination of mind-boggling variety paired with trustworthiness.
A team of cooks at the Boston-based company tests each recipe numerous times, tweaking ingredients and conducting blind taste tests. The goal is to find the best possible version of each dish.
There are chapters titled: “Basics You Can Count On,” including recipes with short ingredient lists and quick preparation; “Roast Your Vegetables”; “Potatoes Every Way”; “Potluck Favorites”; and “Not Your Mother’s Casseroles.”
This stovetop Brussels sprouts recipe is from the “Holiday Classics” chapter. The braising method, using broth, makes the Brussels sprouts flavorful and tender.
Maple-glazed Brussels Sprouts
Serves 6 to 8. Excerpted with permission from “The Side Dish Bible” by America’s Test Kitchen.
You will need a 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in broth, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, thyme and cayenne. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until sprouts are nearly tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until liquid has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and vinegar until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
