BritSpeak: Peeling Sprouts? Really ....Sprouts?

[Steve]

I'm sure you all remember when Harry and Ron were in the Weasley
Kitchen over Christmas holiday 'peeling sprouts' with a knife when
Fred and George come in and tease them about not being able to use
magic to do it. (Am Ed, HB, Chapter 16 -"A Very Frosty Christmas", pg 325)

So, in Brit-Speak, what is a sprout? 

Because in USA-speak, it is a small newly sprouted shoot of a soybean
or alphalfa seed. It is very small, and mostly a pale root with just a
tiny leaf or two at the head. Because these are very small, they would
be next to impossible to peel, although, even if you did peel them, I
can't imagine what you would be peeling. We throw them into salads and
eat them whole; rich in vitamins.

So... Sprouts?

Any help?

Steve/bboyminn