Confession: I tried Brussels sprouts for the first time just a couple of years ago. For whatever reason, it just wasn’t a vegetable my family ate growing up. The foodie in me, though, was curious–especially when I saw a Brussels sprouts stalk at Trader Joe’s one day. Previously, I’d only noticed Brussels sprouts bagged or sold by the pound in produce bins. The beauty of the stalked variety won me over. I bought them in spite of the fact that I had no earthly idea how to prepare them. Ah, but that has been remedied; we’ve since roasted I-don’t-know-how-many stalks of Brussels sprouts. It’s such a simple method that results in one yummy vegetable side dish.
Here’s the caveat: in my experience, Brussels sprouts taste best straight off the stalk. Unable to find a stalk one day I settled for buying them by-the-pound and I was sorely disappointed. Once they’re removed from the stalk, they seem to become more bitter. I will say that when I do buy the stalks, I remove the sprouts from the stalk for easier storage in the refrigerator. As long as we eat them within 3-4 days, they’re fine.
With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, you might be in search of a new veggie to debut on your table this year. Might I suggest the Brussels sprout? This recipe is a family favorite of ours.
Parmesan herb roasted Brussels sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Brussels sprouts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced raw almonds
- 4 oz. Parmesan, finely grated
- 1/2 cup pomegranate tendrils
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º. Remove Brussels sprouts from stalk. Trim bottoms and remove loose leaves. Cut sprouts in half or fourths, depending on size. Rinse well. Don't worry too much if leaves keep falling off; it's okay to leave some in for roasting.
- Spread trimmed, cut and rinsed sprouts in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with about half of the olive oil and then season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle chopped herbs over sprouts and stir with a wooden spoon to coat. Place baking sheet in preheated oven and roast for 20-30 minutes, until sprouts are well-browned and looser leaves are slightly crispy.
- Meanwhile, toast almonds by placing them in a skillet and cooking over medium heat until golden brown with a nutty aroma.
- Remove Brussels sprouts from the oven and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Mix in Parmesan cheese, toasted almonds and pomegranate tendrils. Season to taste with salt and pepper if more is needed. Serve immediately.
SOURCE: slightly adapted from Whole Foods Market
I am going to print and give this one to my husband, since he is the cook in our family. Looks good so good. We both love Brussels sprouts. My daughter got a bad one once and now says these are the only food she doesn’t like. We have to correct that. Maybe this will do it.
Looks delicious! We recently tried the “Brussels and Bacon” appetizer at Zona 78 and were mucho impressed: http://zona78.com/menus/. Perhaps worth replicating?
How nice to see someone eating them without being smothered in cheese sauce.
As I am a fan of all the ingredients in this recipe, I kept wondering how in the world, they would complement each other. Holy mackerel, was I surprised to find that they did indeed, work out to be a dish I will prepare many times. Since, pomegranates are readily available at this time of year, I am thrilled to find another recipe in which to use them. Thank you very much.