Brussels sprouts have a completely undeserved reputation as the classic “gross” vegetable all humans should avoid. It’s right up there with lima beans and Durian fruit, but it shouldn’t be that way. At least not if you roast them in the oven.
Fresh or steam-in-bag Brussels sprouts tend to be best to use—a lot of frozen ones get mushy, especially the super-discount brands—and they’re a drizzle of truffle oil short of transcendent when they’re seared on the stovetop and then cooked in the oven. (It gives leaves a nice char that makes them as addictive as French fries.) The goal is crispy-on-the-edges, tender-on-the-inside.
Speaking of truffle oil, if you somehow have a bottle (or even a capful) in your possession, toss the sprouts in a tablespoon of it before cooking. People will start bowing before you and your culinary wizardry. It’s your call if you want to let them in on the one-ingredient secret.
Also, if you’re unsure about the whole roasted Brussels sprouts thing, you can ease into it by tossing it with some crumbled, cooked bacon. Bacon makes everything better, doesn’t it?
- 1 bag of Brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
- Chop off each sprout approximately ¼-inch above the hard white stem. For larger sprouts, chop each Brussels sprout in half (optional).
- Rinse Brussels sprouts using a colander, then dump sprouts in a large mixing bowl.
- Add two tablespoons of olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and garlic to mixing bowl. Stir until all sprouts are evenly coated. (For additional flavor, substitute 1 tablespoon of olive oil for white-truffle oil — a great wishlist ingredient that makes everything taste incredible!).
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Add contents of mixing bowl to an oven-safe skillet and cook in a single layer on medium high heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place skillet in the oven, and cook Brussels sprouts for an additional 10 minutes, or until desired level of crispness.
If you’re looking for other great date night sides, how about some garlic parmesan steamed broccoli? Or Broccoli Cauliflower Fritters? Oven-baked sweet potato fries? The creamiest mashed potatoes we’ve ever tried? Honey glazed carrots are also a pretty great bet.