Beloved Brussels

I am a lover of the Brussels sprout!  There, I’ve said it!  When I am wandering the local farmer’s market in the late summer/early fall and see those little babies for sale (still attached to their stalk in many cases), I literally squeal in delight.  They are an extremely underrated and unnecessarily disliked vegetable, and I think it is due from past generations of mothers over boiling them into an avocado-green colored mush.  Perhaps this was so they matched the 70’s avocado-colored kitchen appliances so popular at the time, as I remember many veggies being served with the same unappealing greenish hue when I was a child (broccoli and green beans included).  The accompanying smell of an overcooked Brussels sprout is not very appealing, nor appetizing.  To be quite honest, it smells like ass.  However, a properly cooked Brussels sprout tastes and smells nothing like its overly cooked counterpart.  If you like cabbage or asparagus, you will like roasted Brussels sprouts.  I would promise this, but I know many of you have preconceived hatred toward them and swear you will not like them no matter what…so be it.  My sister and I actually used to call them baby cabbages when we were little, and that is how I got Alyssa JoJo to eat them when she was a tot.  Really, putting the word “baby” in front of anything implies something special is about to come, don’t you think? 

Anyway, Brussels sprouts have become a repeat Thanksgiving dinner side dish over the past few years with me and mine.  Some people eat them, some don’t, but they are always available.

If you think Brussels sprouts may be something the diners at your Thanksgiving table will appreciate, please try this recipe!  It is incredibly simple.  If you don’t have the oven space, you can prepare them in a skillet instead of roasting in the oven.  I have even made them on the grill with positive results.  The squeeze of fresh lemon juice and sprinkling of parmesan really complements the sprouts and pulls all the flavors together. 

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved

1 shallot, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lemon

¼ to ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a large bowl, toss Brussels sprouts, shallot slices, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast for approximately 30 minutes, until Brussels sprouts are browned and starting to get crispy.  You can cook them longer if you want, as the crispier they are, the more flavorful they become, but be careful not to burn them.

Remove from oven and transfer to a serving dish.  Squeeze lemon juice over sprouts and top with parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.  Yummy!!

Tip:  If you don’t have a shallot or know what one is, you can use a small white onion, but the shallot is well worth the effort.  They brown up nice and crispy and have a spectacularly mild flavor that compliments the sprouts.  I highly recommend them, although they can be a bit pricy in some areas, so if you use a nice sweet onion, it will work also.

Next week, fellow freaks!  <3 Mama Lanette