Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I love visiting our local farmer's market. It's therapeutic and relaxing, browsing and wandering from table to table, seeing all of the new and beautiful colors of fall produce.  It's especially interesting talking to local growers, who work very hard to bring quality meats and produce to consumers. They are coping, and probably more worried than the rest of us, with high costs of production, quality feed, packaging and consumer demand. Please support this dedicated group of people whenever and wherever you can.

This time of year showcases deep green, in-season veggies, and I couldn't resist buying this 2 foot long stalk of fresh brussel sprouts for $2.00. Yes, only $2.00! There are varying sizes of cabbage-like heads on the stalk that snap off easily when you're ready to cook them.

I was able to prepare half and freeze another whole bagful for Thanksgiving.  These tiny, cabbage family cuties are so tender and new, and I wanted to try them roasted instead of steaming. Roasting is such a basic recipe, and this idea comes from The Barefoot Contessa.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
serves 2-3
(print)
3 large handfuls of fresh brussel sprouts
  (it should be about a pound or so)
kosher salt/pepper
olive oil
sliced garlic
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove any yellow outer leaves from heads, then cut off the bottom portion. Cut the brussel sprouts in half, and place them in a deep bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil, stir to coat evenly. Salt/pepper to taste, then add the sliced garlic and stir again, adding more olive oil if needed. Spread in a single layer on a foil lined cookie sheet or shallow pan.

Set your oven timer for 10 minutes and roast without stirring.  When time is up, gently stir and turn mixture, then set the timer for 10 minutes more.  Continue roasting until golden brown and tender. 

Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and again roast for about 5 minutes more. You can also add cooked pork to this recipe such as crumbled bacon or diced pancetta. Enjoy!

Food For Thought:

Brussel sprouts contain a chemical called sinigrin, which suppresses the development of precancerous cells.

- American Institute of Cancer Research/11th Annual Research Conference on

Diet, Nutrition and Cancer