Is this the most festive job in Britain? Man, 26, who eats BRUSSEL SPROUTS for a living, tasting up to 50 a day as a supermarket tester, says ‘they’re the best thing on the plate at Christmas’
- Ben Harrison, from Leeds, goes on taste-testing missions to farms for Asda
- There are over 15 varieties of sprouts, some sweeter and others more bitter
- Being a professional sprout-taster requires a distinguishing palate, says Ben
- Having graduated with a degree in Food and Nutrition, Ben is well qualified
Technical manager Ben Harrison, 26, spends his days eating Brussel sprouts after being employed by Asda to test the sprouts before they go on the shelves for customers.
But despite many thinking this could be one of the worst jobs, Ben claims to love this part of his job and can happily eat up to 50 Brussel sprouts a day.
Ben, from Leeds, explained: ‘When we are testing new varieties and visiting our trusted growers, I could eat up to 50 sprouts a day.
‘This is the best part of my job!
‘It’s really important to make sure we give Asda customers the best tasting sprouts and continually improve varieties so more people pick them up and give them a go.
Ben Harrison, 26, is a taste-tester for Asda and goes on trips to the supermarket’s partnered farms to try out the varieties on offer
On some days, Ben tastes up to 50 Brussel sprouts in a day – a nightmare for some, although he assures us it is the dream job for him
‘The freshest sprouts are a fresh green colour, typically with an oval to round shape dependent on variety.
‘Over the years, the varieties have evolved from a bitter tasting flavour to now having a sweeter flavour.
‘It is important that the sprouts are cooked correctly, as overcooking them can lead to them being more bitter in taste and could create an unappetising aroma – probably why some sprout eaters are put off!’
Ben studied Food and Nutrition at university, leading him to be the perfect taste tester for Asda’s Brussel sprouts this Christmas.
He added: ‘We work collaboratively with our trusted farmers who grow over 15 varieties, to ensure we have the best possible sprouts on the shelves for Asda customers this Christmas.
With a degree in Food and Nutrition and a refined palate to boot, Ben is well equipped for his job of scouting out the best sprouts for Asda’s shelves
‘It’s difficult to be a sprout tester as spotting the small differences in tastes between different varieties isn’t easy but is essential to give customers the best sprouts.
‘You also need to have a solid knowledge of all the factors that affect harvests.
‘Sprouts are a great addition to the Christmas meal; I particularly enjoy sprouts boiled then cooked in some oil with garlic and bacon.
‘They’re totally versatile though, so you don’t just have to save them for Christmas dinner.
‘You can also use sprouts in other recipes, cook them, and grate the sprouts into a fresh salad or whole roast with garlic and herbs.
‘There are some amazing sprout products in Asda this year that I’m sure will convert anyone over to loving sprouts.
‘You can of course grab your plain sprouts if you have your own recipe to work with, plus the trimmed version helps to cut down on prep time when it comes to the big day.
‘Brussel sprouts are the best thing on the plate at Christmas! Just ahead of the pigs in blankets.’
How to cook Brussel sprouts, according to three top chefs
JAMIE OLIVER: According to the Naked Chef, you should cut big sprouts in half and leave small sprouts whole. Put them in hot water, and once it reaches boiling point, give them five minutes before taking them out.
In Chef Oliver’s words, the sprouts should be ‘just tender but with a little bite…slightly undercooked’.
He suggests they be combined with a ‘chestnut mixture’, combining the festive nuts with onion, bacon and a little sage – a recipe he elaborates on his website.
GORDON RAMSAY: In contrast with Chef Oliver, the Hell’s Kitchen honcho is a stickler for cutting all his sprouts in half – the big and the small ones alike. A recipe on Chef Ramsay’s website reminds readers that ‘halving the sprouts means that the middles soak up more flavour’.
Chef Ramsay advises sprouts be blanched for only two to three minutes.
Then, just like the Naked Chef, Ramsay recommends frying the blanched sprouts with bacon and chestnuts – although he seasons his with pepper, sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
HESTON BLUMENTHAL: The Fat Duck head chef says: ‘For me, the best way to eat sprouts is to treat them like cabbage by separating the leaves and cooking them in butter with smoked bacon.
‘But please don’t overcook them!’
His recipe states that you should ‘slice the bases from the Brussels sprouts’ before pulling the leaves off them.
Chef Blumenthal recommends boiling them for 3-5 minutes, and his seasoning suggestion is the simplest of the three: just salt and pepper, he says.
Meanwhile, Chef Blumenthal does not weigh in on the controversy over whether sprouts should be cut in half or not.
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