Vegetables

Brussels sprouts

芽キャベツ　めきゃべつ　mekyabetsu

Also known asmekyabetsu

At its best in Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec

Brussels sprouts (mekyabetsu), Japanese vegetable
Brussels sprouts (mekyabetsu) is at its best in Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec. It is in the market from Oct to Mar.

When it is at its best

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

In seasonAvailable

How to cook

Brussels sprouts: Boiled in salted water

Boiled in salted water

Scored with a cross at the base so they cook evenly.

Brussels sprouts: Sautéed

Sautéed

Halved and pan-fried in butter, which brings out the aroma.

Brussels sprouts: Stew

Stew

Added to braises, where they hold their shape.

Brussels sprouts: Deep-fried plain

Deep-fried plain

Fried whole; fragrant outside and sweet within.

How to choose

Tightly furled and firm, deep green and undamaged, and even in size.

Storage

Bag and refrigerate. They also freeze once boiled.

Main areas

Good to know

A variant of cabbage, bearing some fifty small heads in rows along a thick stem. Bred near Brussels, which gives the English name. Frost sweetens them, so the cold months bring the best.

Back to the calendar

At their best around the same time