Posts Tagged ‘Roasted Brussels Sprouts’

Don’t-You-Dare-Boil-Me Brussels Sprouts

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

sprouts on stemweb

 
I recently picked up a gorgeous stem of Brussels sprouts at M&M Green Valley Produce in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. These little cabbage relatives perk up the farm stand at this time of year, particularly when still on their stems: varying shades of warm green blend with just a hint of pink here and there.
 
I’m not sure you could call what I do with them (and what most of the world does by now, I should think) a recipe. I’m writing it down anyway. It’s easy, and it’s addictive.
 
When I was a little girl my family tended to boil Brussels sprouts. This is NOT a cooking method I recommend. The process fills the house with an unappetizing cabbage smell. By the time you get around to eating the darn things they don’t appeal to you at all. To cap it off, they end up pretty soggy.
 
In contrast, oven-roasted sprouts are crunchy and delicately flavored. The salt and pepper stick to them (because you’ve tossed them with oil) and pop out at you as you eat. Yum! This is as close as a vegetable gets to tasting like dessert.
 
The only trick is to monitor them in the oven and keep stirring them; they can burn easily. (You can see from the photo below that I was distracted by a phone call and let my most recent batch bake a little too long on one side. They were delicious anyway.)
 
Next time I think I’ll try roasting a little garlic in with the sprouts. (I’ll let you know how they come out!) Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy them this way as much as my family does……
 
 
Ingredients:
 
2 generous cups Brussels sprouts (compost the pretty stem)
about 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I just drizzle until it looks like enough)
salt and pepper to taste
a little freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
 
Instructions:
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and drain your sprouts. Cut off any messy (especially yellow) leaves, and trim the bottoms. With a sharp knife make a little cross in the bottoms to help the sprouts cook evenly.
 
In a small pan (I use a pie plate) toss the sprouts with the oil, salt, and pepper, making sure they are nicely coated. Roast them, turning from time to time, until they are nicely brown and crispy. This will take between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the size and age of your sprouts.
 
Squeeze a little lemon juice on top if you want to, and serve immediately. Serves 4.
 
roasted sprouts web
 

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