Friday, March 21, 2014

Maple Syrup Roasted Brussels Sprouts

We like veggies around here. Really! We have a bad habit, though, of making them the same old tired ways. Bland and uninspired, leading to comments like "not kale again?"


My new obsession is roasting vegetables. It's easy and everything turns out delicious. I started experimenting with Brussels sprouts a few months ago. You'd think it would have been easy. There are very few ingredients. What could go wrong?


The temperature, for one. At 425, maple syrup burns. The Brussels sprouts didn't taste bad, they were just a little, um, well done. 400 wasn't much better. 350 was a disaster. Definitely not hot enough. Who'd have thought it? But it dawned on me that the problem wasn't just the temperature, it was a combination of temperature and cooking time. The maple syrup could stand the higher temperature for a short period of time, but then the Brussels sprouts were a little crunchier than one might like.


Instead of roasting them whole, I started cutting them in half. Much better! They didn't take quite as long to cook, so the sugar didn't burn.


The key here seems to be going light on the oil. If you use even a tablespoon of oil, it tends to dilute the maple syrup too much. So use a light hand with the oil. And use a small dish just big enough for a single layer of Brussels sprouts so the lovely syrup doesn't roll away. If you have large Brussels sprouts, you'll need to roast them for 20 minutes.


A little maple syrup makes boring Brussels sprouts taste like little gems. My favorite thing about this recipe is that it's a quick and easy no-brainer that I can make in the middle of the week for lunch. Oddly enough, we never have any left over.


Easy Maple Syrup Roasted Brussels Sprouts


about 10-12 Brussels sprouts
olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
salt

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the ends off the Brussels sprouts and peel off outer leaves. Slice in half. Place in a single layer in a small oven-safe pan or baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Pour the maple syrup over the Brussels sprouts and turn them a few times to coat. Sprinkle with a large pinch of salt. Roast 15-20 minutes. Syrup should be sizzling and Brussels sprouts should be tender.



8 comments:

  1. Krista - You are so right about roasting. It looks easy, but it's a tricky business. This is a Keeper recipe, and it's maple syrup season so you're right *in season* with that amazing flavor. Have a great weekend!

    ~ Cleo

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  2. Cleo, it was fun figuring it out. We snarfed all those less than perfect Brussels sprouts. Hope you and Marc have a great weekend, too.

    ~Krista

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  3. I am not a Brussels sprout lover. Guess there were too many cooked-to-death sprouts in my childhood.
    Perhaps it is time to be brave and try making my own. This could be the place to start.

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    1. LOL, Libby. I know what you mean. It's hard to overcome those childhood dislikes. One of these days I plan to make something I hated as a kid but all my friends think it sounds wonderful. I'll post it when I finally make it.

      ~Krista

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  4. Love Brussels sprouts, almost any way, but most especially prepared so they get a little crispy on the edges, then sprinkled with sea salt. Mmm.

    I've read that cutting the sprouts in half also releases the bitterness. Have any of you also heard such a thing? No idea if it's true, though.

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    1. Releases bitterness? Can't say that I've noticed. I'll have to do a taste test and find out!

      ~Krista

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  5. My family is crazy for brussel sprouts Krista--will have to try this recipe!

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    1. If they're also crazy for maple syrup, then I think they'll love it! And it's sooo easy!

      ~Krista

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