Brussels Sprouts are in vogue, right?
I feel like they got a bad rap for a long time since our parents’ parents cooked the living daylights out of them and seasoned them with butter alone, if you were lucky (served bare if you weren’t). Yeah, that would make them pretty awful, wouldn’t it? Mushy mini-cabbages that smelled like feet. Yay.
Nowadays, almost everyone I talk to loves Brussels and, if not, is at least tolerant of them. No more ‘ewwww, Brussels!’ Like Blockbuster and the rotary telephone, that stereotype is a thing of the past.
It probably doesn’t hurt that the recent re-branding of these wee cruciferous globes has landed them on hip gastropub menus as appetizers- capitalizing on those who want to at least pretend to snack healthy while ordering drink after drink after drink on a bumpin’ Friday night (I should know…).
Halved before roasting, not only will Brussels cook rather quickly but, in maximizing their surface area, you’ll get more of those lovely crispy bits and caramelized edges (and skip the all-too-common overcooked exterior and unpleasantly crunchy stem).
Drizzle ’em with a lil’ sweet balsamic reduction, shave on some salty Parm (bonus points if your cheese has some crystallization happening, for crunch). A-ma-zing.
So- quick, healthy, delicious and chic. Yes, I am calling Brussels Sprouts chic.
Like rustic minimalism and trim beards, Brussels Sprouts are having a moment. Let’s enjoy it, shall we?
| Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Balsamic | Print |
- 1½ lbs. Brussels sprouts
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Balsamic reduction
- Parmesan cheese, shaved
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Halve Brussels sprouts lengthwise. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet in a single layer, some facing up, some down- up to you. Both sides offer perks. Some people like to flip theirs but as long as I mix up how they land on the baking sheet (face up, face down), I find this step unnecessary. Try not to overcrowd the tray (this will steam the brussels sprouts instead of roast them), and ensure none are overlapping as this will affect the caramelization. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and, using a cheese slicer or peeler, shave curls of Parmesan cheese over top. Serve immediately as a starter, snack or side.
That looks absolutely amazing!
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