- Merrill

Last week, Amanda wrote about horseradish hash browns from The Vanderbilt, now a favorite local dinner spot for both of us. My husband and I love to go there on a weeknight, sit at the bar, which faces the open kitchen, and order a bunch of appetizers and nibbles. Nibbles are a Vanderbilt specialty. There's great homemade beef jerky and pickles, and blistered shishito peppers with dipping salt, but the undisputed star -- which we order every time we go -- is the fried Brussels sprouts. The sprouts arrive in a towering pile; the leaves are pulled apart and fried, with the sweet hearts tossed into the oil and cooked just to the point of tenderness. The crisp shards are then painted with a mix of sriracha, honey and lime juice, making the sprouts tangy, hot and sweet all at once.

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This dish has gained some attention outside the restaurant, and blogger Cathy Erway recently included her version (in which the sprouts are roasted) in a piece for Brooklyn Bread. But I wanted to try to get as close to the version at the Vanderbilt as possible, so last week I painstakingly peeled a pound of sprouts and got frying. Happily, I discovered that if you're willing to deal with a little hot oil, you can do a pretty good job of replicating these guys at home. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts with Honey and Sriracha

Adapted from The Vanderbilt

Serves 2 to 4

1 pound Brussels sprouts

1 tablespoon sriracha (or to taste)

3 tablespoons honey

Juice of 1 large lime

Salt

Vegetable oil for frying







