My parents made a brussels sprout soup for me on a trip home during one of my husband’s long submarine tours.  I have always liked brussels sprouts and both of my parents are fabulous cooks, but when they told me what we were having for dinner I was thinking, “Really?”.  It was amazing.  I think it was a recipe out of a Disney World restaurants cookbook they had.  I made a similar version trying to remember how theirs tasted and added pecans.  Seriously, I could eat this every week.

Ingredients:

4 c. chicken stock (or vegetable stock or water if going vegetarian)

4 c. beef stock (or vegetable stock or water if going vegetarian)

1 lb. fresh brussels sprouts

1 c. cream (fat-free evaporated milk is a good substitute for those wishing to cut fat)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. onion, small dice

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 c. finely ground pecans

1/2 c. celery, small dice

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 bay leaf

1/4 c. grated parmesan

Ground nutmeg

Method:

Peel off outer wilted leaves of brussels sprouts.  Trim off the stem end and cut a criss-cross into it.

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Saute garlic.  Add onions and celery.  Saute until translucent. 

Pour in stocks or water.  Add salt and pepper, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil. 

Add brussels sprouts.  Return pot to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. 

Stir in ground pecans. 

Simmer 10 minutes.  You can serve this way or enhance it.  Puree in batches in a food processor.  Return to the pot. 

Bring to a low simmer and reduce until thickened.  Ladle into bowls.  Swirl in cream and sprinkle a dash of nutmeg over the cream.

Add a bit of parmesan cheese to each.

Note: Asiago, Romano, or Kerrygold Irish Dubliner would all be good added at the last moment.  It can easily be made low-fat with the cheese omitted and fat-free evaporated milk substituted for the cream, vegetarian with water or vegetable stocks in place of the beef and chicken.  This is also a relatively low-carb soup, as brussels sprouts are lower in carbohydrates than many other vegetables.

8 to 12 servings.