Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
I challenge you to find a vegetable more despised and polarizing than brussels sprouts. Kale, maybe.
When we were kids growing up, we hated them, but it turns out that most of the reason we did was because of how they were prepared. If you cook brussels sprouts correctly, they are tasty!
Well, that is, unless you have a genetic mutation. You see, certain vegetables taste really bitter to some people. This is an old evolutionary trick–the idea is, you’re a caveman wandering the forest, and you see something green growing out of the ground that you think might be tasty. So you try a tiny bit, to see. If it tastes horrible and bitter, you’ll move on, and it’s likely a good thing, because it could possibly be poisonous.
Around half the world’s population still has this genetic mutation, which means they just can’t eat brassicas, which include broccoli, cabbage, turnips, rutabagas, cauliflower, and yes, your friend and mine, the brussels sprout.
For the other half of you, how do you make a brussels sprout palatable? Even, dare I say, delicious?
Well, it starts before cooking. First off, for the love of all things holy, do not use frozen or canned sprouts. Probably that was what you were eating when you were growing up. You must start with fresh sprouts.
Secondly, steam is your enemy, and fat is your friend. Steam those tiny li’l cabbages, and they will turn grey and be all limp and sad and unpalatable.
Fry them in oil? Crispy goodness, similar to what you’d get with a kale chip.
I’m going now to hand it over to my friend Laurel (check out her YouTube Channel here), who is going to show you the right way to make Brussels Sprouts:
What’s your favourite way to eat these tasty vegetables? Comment below!
Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh brussels sprouts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and quickly dunk the brussels sprouts into them to get off any surface dirt.
- Dump them out onto a clean tea towel and dry them off, or put them in your salad spinner and take them for a ride (they will caramelize better if they are dry)
- Cut the tough stems off, and then bisect them each in half. Some of the outer leaves will fall off. Place them to the side, and return the halved brussels sprouts to the cleaned and dried bowl.
- Drizzle the sprouts with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and season well with the salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.
- Place the brussels sprouts in a single layer on a baking tray (flat side down)
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. While they are baking, put the leftover leaves in the bowl, and toss them to coat in the leftover oil, salt and pepper.
- After 10 minutes, take the pan out and give it a good shake. Add the remaining leaves and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown and caramelized.
- Slide the roasted brussels sprouts back into the bowl and pour over the balsamic reduction. Toss well to coat, taste for seasoning and adjust, then serve.