Roasted Brussel Sprouts
August 25th, 2006
All week The Boy and I have been having the same conversation around a bag of brussel sprouts where I suggest they be part of our dinner and he suggests we get a bbq chicken or that he may head to his parents’ place for dinner instead. The guy just doesn’t like his brussel sprouts.
I know, I know… I should know better right? I should know when to quit and stop being such a nagging girlfriend. Its just that I never know how give up because he never really gives up trying to convince me that playing World of Warcraft really is fun. So we both have our battles.
So, this time instead of steaming the sprouts I had a new plan of attack. Roasting!
Roasted brussel sprouts is the Inga Garten way (aka the Barefoot Contessa). I have read a few posts about these divine beauties and since then I’ve been waiting for sprout season to try them on The Boy. Its not even a recipe, just a method to get them all crispy and golden. All I did was roast as many brussel sprouts as I had after coating them generously in good olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. I halved them, so they were in a 180 C oven for 20 minutes. If you leave them whole, just double the roasting time.
Their light natural bitterness turns into deliciousness especially with other steamed vege and grilled salmon. I popped a few back in the oven for extra roasting because I quite like burnt bits. The Boy said he would try one half of a sprout just to placate me. After that one half when his face contorted this way and that, he continued to enjoy a dozen more halves! After I picked myself off the floor I may have danced a short jig.
They sound damn good - I’ll have to give them a try.
August 25th, 2006 at 11:37 pmHeh. We had brussel sprouts tonite too. I did mine blanched then sauteed with bacon, carrots and garlic butter.
Yours look yum. I love burnt bits too!
August 26th, 2006 at 1:14 amhello! beautiful site you have here. i have to say, though sometimes i have to talk my boyfriend into eating/trying something, it’s almost always worth it because there are a lot of things he’s just stubborn about not trying but i know he will like. it’s always so satisfying, too, to change someone’s mind about a food that you enjoy, especially a Significant Other because then you can enjoy them together instead of having to eat them when they’re not around.
August 26th, 2006 at 5:35 amI’m new to brussel sprout cooking myself, but I think this roasting method sounds fantastic!
August 26th, 2006 at 12:20 pmCongratulations! Progress! These sound lovely and I might try some too. I like sprouts any old way but burnt bits could bring them closer to my heart.
August 27th, 2006 at 1:06 amI’ve never been a sprout fan - too many memories of the sulphuric boiling cabbage smell that hung around the Convent at Primary School - but these might just tip me over the edge to have a go again! Lovely enticing pic too.
August 27th, 2006 at 10:55 amAh-ha! I’ve tried boiling them in seasoned water and of course they tasted awful. I’ll have to try this instead!
August 27th, 2006 at 2:19 pmweird coincidence…I had lunch at Fratelli Fresh on friday and normally I hate brussel sprouts but decided if I was ever going to like them it would be in a joint like that…had them shaved in a salad with cavolo nero & proscuitto & poached egg….really delicious
now will have to give your roasting trick a go.
August 28th, 2006 at 5:14 pmI would very much like to have seen that jig. I think a video of it next time would be great.
August 28th, 2006 at 5:21 pmI love brussel sprouts! They are yummy and adorable looking and I am really clueless as to why a lot of people don’t like them…I have never had them roasted though and this looks great! I will try this soon for sure :) Mmmmm…
August 30th, 2006 at 1:04 amI love them. tiny baby looking little cabbages. i cant resist steamed with a smear of good, salty butter. nigella has a great recipe (with bacon amongst other things) that turned me on to these little wonders. and they are so cute when they are growing. (have a look a google images).
August 30th, 2006 at 10:32 pmOMG! you have the same problem as me! though I don’t think your boyfriend is part of a WOW guild where he must return home by 6pm every night so that he can log on in time to ‘raid’ till after 10pm!
I don’t know how you guys do it, we’ve just moved in together and with my work schedule i’m really struggling to cook proper meals every night. I’m either missing a bit of this or that for 2 people i just can’t be bothered.
Hopefully when work gets less stressful i can sort out some sort of scedule. But your bf should feel very lucky that his gf can cook wonderful meals!
August 31st, 2006 at 2:04 pmI love any kind of baby food. Baby peas, baby carrots, baby bok choi. Brussels sprouts always make me think of baby cabbages too. Try pan frying them with some chopped up bacon. I looooove brussels done like this, and pan frying them reduces the risk of overcooking and transforming them into the mushy green blobs we learned to hate in childhood.
August 31st, 2006 at 2:24 pmkathryn, they are very good. i really like their slight bitter taste.
helen, that sounds good. brussel sprouts + bacon = heaven
yvonne, its challenging… but definitely worth it. there is only so much brussel sprouts you can eat in one sitting ;)
ellie, you must try these. i don’t think i’ll ever go back to steaming them.
sue: yay! the boy isn’t so bad with food i guess. he just happens to be with someone who will try anything once, while he is happy with his favourites.
reb: oooh.. i was told by one of my friends that their mother would add bicarb soda when boiling vege to the inch of their lives. why? i asked… to retain their colour… forget that it felt like mush in your mouth! hope you give these a try!
sid: seasoned water would work… but i don’t think id go as far as adding anything more than salt. yes… please do!
jules: oh that salad sounds yum! they would be superb all grated with those ingredients.
matt, as i said on google talk; think fresh prince of bel air and carlton doing the apache indian ;)
joey, i remember your love for the sprouts… your profile pic says so ;) i think people have hated them because they were forced to eat them as a child. that and the world wide campaign in every kids show with littly timmy feeding the dog his sprouts!
indigo, yes i love the intricate layers. even better when there is a hidden pocket of olive oil from the roasting… mmmm…
emily, its soooo bad. the tales i could tell about this godamn wow. i understand the raids, and the gold coins. he sometimes tells me about people who get married online. apparently there are couples who play online together… in the same house! ARGH!
as for cooking through the week… its tough. i would be happy with a bowl of steamed vege or a salad, but my bf usually likes a full meal with meat! we usually stick to simple curries, stews, roast spread out through the week… never ever anything fancy, unless someone else is cooking ;)
lady lunchalot: mmm baby carrots… i wonder how they get them so perfectly small. yes: say no to green mushy globs… unless of course the globs are mashed potato and peas … mmmm :)
August 31st, 2006 at 3:42 pmLove roasted BS. I do roast them with sliced almonds and when finished, toss them with lemon juice and honey. TRY IT!
October 30th, 2006 at 5:37 amWarren and others. You don’t have to precook them before roasting? Everyone use Olive Oil? Almonds sound great too. Have to try with lemon juice and honey…. Oooohhh I can’t wait.
November 23rd, 2006 at 3:17 amI love the roasted sprouts too but here’s a twist…add a splash of dry wine with the olive oil. Right out of the oven, dash a *small* amount of fresh grated parm cheese over the top.
November 23rd, 2006 at 10:22 pm