Serves 4 to 6
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tsp red wine vinegar
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To prep the Brussels sprouts: Working with one sprout at a time, slice across the stem, at the base of the sprout – this will loosen the outer leaves attached to the lower stem. Peel off and discard any tough and discolored outer leaves. Reserve the un-blemished, tender leaves. Then repeat, slicing across the base of the sprout, a little further up, to loosen another layer of leaves. Peel off the leaves and reserve. Continue this slicing and peeling, until you’ve separated the entire sprout into single leaves. Repeat with the remaining Brussels sprouts. Reserve.
To make the browned butter: Place the butter in your smallest saucepot. Melt over low heat, and then leave it over the heat until specks that fall to the bottom of the pot turn deep golden brown. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. (You won’t need to use all of this browned butter for this single recipe, but it’s hard to get good results (without burning) using anything less than 1/2 stick. Save the left-over browned butter and use it to sauté up anything you wish. It will magically turn any vegetable into something spectacular!)
To assemble the dish: Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the browned butter (making sure to get lots of the brown specks) and swirl to coat the pan. Add the minced garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, no more than 30 seconds, until just lightly golden brown. Add the Brussels sprout leaves and toss and stir immediately. Season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, then sauté, tossing and stirring frequently, until lightly golden brown, tender and crisp. Sprinkle with the red wine vinegar, then toss to coat. Taste, then season as needed with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.
