Trend Spotting: Brussels Sprouts

Every week we study dozens of menus looking for the rise of trends. Lately, we’ve noticed Brussels sprouts—long the bane of children and many adults—showing up on plates roasted, caramelized, deconstructed, and fried. And it seems the James Beard Foundation, a not-for-profit dedicated to celebrating America’s culinary culture, predicted the uptick.

Recent examples of knock-out dishes include Duo Restaurant‘s Brussels sprouts, bacon, and apple ragoût (served alongside the arctic char); Opus Restaurant‘s sea scallops with crispy pancetta and cranberry-dusted sprouts; Shazz Cafe and Bar‘s savory Brussels sprouts leaf salad with roast sweet potato, confit mushrooms, a poached heritage egg, and bacon-balsamic vinaigrette; and Table 6‘s addictive fried Brussels sprouts with Parmesan, lemon, and truffle oil.

As further proof, at 50 Top (an underground, chef-driven supper club in Denver), three of 15 recent dishes contained the cruciferous veggie. (My favorite was Troy Guard‘s inventive duck-fat-roasted sprouts and fingerling potatoes spooned with heady banana curry.)

Tip: The vegetable’s season is coming to an end, so don’t delay in making chef David Chang’s spicy Brussels sprouts with mint, a no-fail recipe that ran in the November 2009 issue of Food & Wine magazine.

Duo Restaurant, 2413 W. 32nd Ave., 303-477-4141