Brits should start growing their own brussel sprouts for cooking up exciting dishes for the winter months, according to a leading celebrity chef.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall believes that there are plenty of ways to prepare and cook this often overlooked brassica, which need not be reserved as a mushy addition to the once-a-year Christmas meal.

In an article for the Guardian, Hugh notes that sprouts are not to everyone's taste, but believes that a simple sprout, hazelnut and goats cheese salad could change people's minds.

For those that do not have the time or space to grow their own brussels, Hugh has some tips on how to select the best brassicas from the supermarket shelves.

"Look for small, tight, bright green sprouts with no hint of yellow about them," he wrote in the newspaper. "I'm a big fan of sprouts sold on the stem - an innovation started in farmers' markets and now adopted by greengrocers."

In his Channel 4 television series, River Cottage, Hugh has previously used sprouts to make a variation on the classic salsa verde and has even combined with black pudding on skewers to create a tempura batter snack.