Growing up in the 70's, a bowl of
Brussels sprouts at the dinner table brought fear and disgust to every kid I
knew. The thought of over boiled mini cabbages haunted me until recently. Today
thanks to roasting and charring, Brussels sprouts have become the
Rock Stars of the veggie world.
Don't fret if they look burned.
It's the charred leaves that taste the best.
It may sound
strange, but these are not only delicious but very easy to make. The Brussels
sprouts should be brown with a bit of black on the outside when done. Any
leftovers can be reheated or even just eaten cold from the fridge. I don't know
how, but they taste sweet and salty at the same time!
Ingredients:
§
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
§
3 tablespoons olive oil
§
1 teaspoon kosher salt
§
1/4 1 onion, finely chopped (optional)
For Serving:
§
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
glaze
Directions:
Preheat oven
to 400 degrees F. Cut off the stem end
of the Brussels sprouts. Remove and toss
any yellowing outer leaves. Cut each sprout in half and carefully remove
any loose leaves.
Spread the loose
leaves onto a sheet pan to create a bed for the Brussels sprouts.
Place the Brussels sprouts into a large,
microwave safe mixing bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 3
minutes. This will reduce the cooking
time and will not compromise the texture. Remove bowl from microwave and mix
Brussels sprouts in a bowl with the chopped onion (optional), olive oil, salt and pepper.
Add the Brussels sprouts to the leaves on the
sheet pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender
on the inside. Shake the pan from time
to time to brown the sprouts evenly.
Some of the leaves may appear
burned, but it's the charred leaves that taste the best.
Remove from oven
and drizzle with balsamic vinegar glaze. You can serve and eat immediately, but these
Brussels sprouts hold well. They can be prepared ahead of time and
reheated in the oven or broiler.
Balsamic
Vinegar Glaze:
To make
balsamic vinegar glaze, pour 6 tablespoons of the vinegar into a small saucepan
and heat until vinegar reduces by half and thickens.
For a printer friendly
copy of this recipe, go to Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze. Enjoy!
