Pickled Brussels Sprouts

As you all know, I mistakenly do stuff.  Sometimes it turns out awful, sometimes it turns out better that expected.  Sometimes I do things by accident, sometimes I actually think things through.

So, a couple of months ago when I ordered wwwwwaaaaayyyy to many Brussels Sprouts (normally I hand pick eight or so) I accidentally ordered some from Safeway, and when the order arrived I received a little over a pound of the litter buggers.  Oh, I cooked up a few of them for dinner, but what in the world was I going to do with the rest of the pound.

I didn't want to waste them, but once I've had my craving satisfied I knew I would never be cooking up and eating the rest any time soon.  What to do, what to do? Hmmm, I thought, you can pickle cabbage,I wonder...can I pickle Brussels Sprouts? I go to the Internet, type in Pickled Brussels Sprouts and lo...there were at least a dozen recipes.  I chose one that didn't seem to difficult, mixed up the vinegar pickling recipe, washed the sprouts, cut them in half, and plopped them into the pickling solution.

The recipe said they should 'pickle for awhile', and I figured a few days would do the trick...it didn't, when I tried them they simply tasted like Brussels Sprouts.  I kept the concoction steeping in the refrigerator. Over time other food products began to push the Sprouts container to the back of the shelf.  Truth be told I forgot about the Sprouts altogether until a couple of weeks ago.  As the shelf the container was on emptied, I saw the winter green Sprouts swimming around in the pickling solution.

Hmmmm???????

Hmmmm!!!!!!!!!

Dare I try one?

Curiosity got the better of me, and I gingerly removed the plastic lid.  Not knowing what to expect I confess I held my breath...this...could be gross.  It kind of smelled like homemade Bread and Butter Pickles, with just a hint of Brussels Sprouts.  What the heck, it didn't smell like it would make me ill, or kill me.  So I popped one in my mouth.

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Well, wha' do ya know!  It was good.  Nicely pickled, refrigerator cool and crispy, crunchy.  Needless to say, I devoured several.  I've been having them as a side ever since.  This morning, I had to down size the container they were in, and I realized the delightful treat was coming to an end.  I will be unhappy when I serve up the remainder later this week.

Will I do this again?  Probably, but it will surely be by accident, when I absentmindedly order another pound of them.

In the meantime, I hope I remember to tell you some day about Figgy Pudding.