Perfect Brussels Sprouts

Rinse and clean Brussels sprouts. Sometimes the outside leaves look wilted—peel off any unsavory-looking leaves as you would with lettuce. Chop the stem off the sprout, and then quarter the remaining sprouts. (Chopping them instead of cooking them whole means that you cook them less and they are more consistently cooked instead of soggy outside and raw inside.) Set aside.

Press or chop garlic cloves. Dice shallot (or half a small onion).

In a large skillet, preferably cast iron, add olive oil and/or butter, and warm over medium-high heat. Add garlic, mixing with oil and butter, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shallot (or onion) and stir for 2-3 minutes, until just translucent. Add Brussels sprouts and stir well, coating them all with oil/garlic/shallot mixture. Stir every few minutes, cooking for a total of about 5-10 minutes, no more. Increase heat to high if you want slightly caramelized edges. Cook for no more than 10 minutes—you want them to retain their crunchy texture and bright green color. Remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!