Shoestring-Style Brussel Sprouts

Monday, November 17, 2008

My co-worker, Marc, made up this recipe about a month ago. Our small office filled with yummy smells when he heated up the leftovers he'd brought in for lunch. I followed my nose right into the tiny kitchen where, luckily, Marc was very happy to share his recipe with me.

Shoestring-Style Brussel Sprouts

We finally tried them out last night with a baked ham and some sweet potatoes. The result? Addictively delicious. If you're thinking about your menu for next week's Thanksgiving dinner, this would make a great side dish -- quick and easy to prepare and hearty and savory to eat. The only trouble I anticipate is that you may have a hard time finding space in the oven on Thursday...

This recipe is pretty flexible -- you can adjust it by adding dried or fresh herbs (thyme, savory, etc.) to the dressing if you like, going heavier or lighter on either garlic or mustard, skipping the cheese or using a different kind, etc.

Sliced sprouts awaiting dressing

Shoestring-Style Brussel Sprouts
Serves 4

Ingredients

* 2 lbs brussel sprouts, washed and trimmed of any yellow leaves and browned bottoms
* 4 tbsps olive oil
* 4 tbsps whole grain or Dijon mustard
* 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
* 2 tbsps white wine
* Sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Pecorino cheese, grated (I actually forgot to add the cheese and the sprouts were delicious without it, so those of you with "lactards" in your families need not worry about omitting this ingredient to make this dish edible for all.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Chop the brussel sprouts into 1/4-inch slices with a knife or cuisinart disc attachment. Try to chop “with the grain” (from the top of the sprout to the bottom) so that the slices stay together, rather than slicing across the top or across the base.

3. Prepare the dressing: Mix equal parts mustard and olive oil with the garlic and wine, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir well. Give it a taste to see if it needs adjusting or if it seems well-balanced as is.

4. Toss the dressing with the sprouts in a big bowl to coat thoroughly. Try to toss them gently so the sprouts don’t break apart too much.

5. Spread the dressed sprouts in a thin layer in a large roasting pan. If you'd like to use the cheese, grate a bit of pecorino on top, using the largest holes in the grater. Press the grated cheese strips down with an oiled spoon or your fingers – the more they’re in contact with the sprouts, the less they’ll become too brown or burn.

6. Roast for 15-20 mins or until the sprouty shreds get soft and carmelized and the cheese is starting to brown.

3 comments:

Marc said...

Wow, I'm famous! We made these again last night and added some white wine to the dressing, which was also delicious.

Eve Fox said...

yum! just made these again and they are even tastier than I remembered. Tried adding some white wine and was very pleased with that so thanks for the tip, Marc.

Leah Bent said...

I made this for dinner tonight, and I was so sad when they were gone. They were amazing!! I could eat them every day!

Monday, November 17, 2008

Shoestring-Style Brussel Sprouts

My co-worker, Marc, made up this recipe about a month ago. Our small office filled with yummy smells when he heated up the leftovers he'd brought in for lunch. I followed my nose right into the tiny kitchen where, luckily, Marc was very happy to share his recipe with me.

Shoestring-Style Brussel Sprouts

We finally tried them out last night with a baked ham and some sweet potatoes. The result? Addictively delicious. If you're thinking about your menu for next week's Thanksgiving dinner, this would make a great side dish -- quick and easy to prepare and hearty and savory to eat. The only trouble I anticipate is that you may have a hard time finding space in the oven on Thursday...

This recipe is pretty flexible -- you can adjust it by adding dried or fresh herbs (thyme, savory, etc.) to the dressing if you like, going heavier or lighter on either garlic or mustard, skipping the cheese or using a different kind, etc.

Sliced sprouts awaiting dressing

Shoestring-Style Brussel Sprouts
Serves 4

Ingredients

* 2 lbs brussel sprouts, washed and trimmed of any yellow leaves and browned bottoms
* 4 tbsps olive oil
* 4 tbsps whole grain or Dijon mustard
* 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
* 2 tbsps white wine
* Sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Pecorino cheese, grated (I actually forgot to add the cheese and the sprouts were delicious without it, so those of you with "lactards" in your families need not worry about omitting this ingredient to make this dish edible for all.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Chop the brussel sprouts into 1/4-inch slices with a knife or cuisinart disc attachment. Try to chop “with the grain” (from the top of the sprout to the bottom) so that the slices stay together, rather than slicing across the top or across the base.

3. Prepare the dressing: Mix equal parts mustard and olive oil with the garlic and wine, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir well. Give it a taste to see if it needs adjusting or if it seems well-balanced as is.

4. Toss the dressing with the sprouts in a big bowl to coat thoroughly. Try to toss them gently so the sprouts don’t break apart too much.

5. Spread the dressed sprouts in a thin layer in a large roasting pan. If you'd like to use the cheese, grate a bit of pecorino on top, using the largest holes in the grater. Press the grated cheese strips down with an oiled spoon or your fingers – the more they’re in contact with the sprouts, the less they’ll become too brown or burn.

6. Roast for 15-20 mins or until the sprouty shreds get soft and carmelized and the cheese is starting to brown.

3 comments:

Marc said...

Wow, I'm famous! We made these again last night and added some white wine to the dressing, which was also delicious.

Eve Fox said...

yum! just made these again and they are even tastier than I remembered. Tried adding some white wine and was very pleased with that so thanks for the tip, Marc.

Leah Bent said...

I made this for dinner tonight, and I was so sad when they were gone. They were amazing!! I could eat them every day!