THEY are they ultimate love 'em or hate 'em vegetable - and there will be more than a few tables without a heaped bowl of Brussel sprouts on it tomorrow.

Hailing from Belgium and closely related to the cabbage, there’s plenty to dislike about this humble vegetable.

So in a last minute effort to get Swindon to embrace the maligned vegetable this Christmas (and there are still a few shops open) we want to hear your tips for improving sprouts.

Share your ideas below!

For years we’ve abused them, boiling them for hours and hours on end, until any taste or texture has vanished like Santa’s sherry.

However, cooked the right way they’re transformed from the thing begrudgingly included in our meal “because it’s Christmas” to an altogether more enjoyable experience.

First up, know how to buy a good sprout. They should be around the size of an olive - any bigger and they could be really bland or woolly when cooked.

Do you have any tips on improving sprouts?

Share your tips below - and here is our suggestion.

To prepare them, wash in cold water and remove any yellow or undesirable leaves. This can be done in advance but if you do, store the sprouts in an airtight tub or food bag in the fridge to stop them discolouring.

Here’s a cooking method and tips for transforming your sprouts.

METHOD

  • Take a large, high-sided frying pan. On a medium heat, add a good knob of butter, a few tablespoons of water and the stock cubes. When the butter has melted and the stock cubes have dissolved into the water, add the sprouts.
  • Toss the sprouts in the pan, making sure they are all coated in the liquid. Keep doing this for about eight minutes, adding a little more water when the pan becomes dry, but not too much.
  • Let the sprouts steam for two minutes, preferably with a lid or cover. The sprouts are cooked when they have softened on the outside, but they should have a little bite to them in the centre.
  • For extra flavour and texture, add a handful of chopped, peeled and cooked chestnuts half way through. Alternatively, you could add a rasher or two of crispy bacon.
  • This recipe also works perfectly with frozen peas, but for an extra bonus, add some finely-chopped mint and an extra knob of butter before serving.