Brussels sprouts when slowly pan-roasted with other vegetables are surprisingly delicious, simple and very satisfying. An excellent meal or side dish.
Pan-roasted Brussels Sprouts are rich and nutty and when combined with Maple-Dijon dressing, really sets them apart! A great side dish for family dinners.
Brussels sprouts were not my friends when I was a kid. They always showed up unexpectedly, unannounced and taking up way too much space on the dinner plate with their hateful ultimatum – “No leaving the table until your plate is clean.” The worst part was the soggy, slightly slimy texture combined with the sulfurous, earthy, somewhat metallic taste from steaming.
Fast forward 30 odd years and after learning to cook, garden and eat healthy and tasty foods I’ve started to warm up to Brussels sprouts a bit more. I’m not having them twice a week or anything, but I’ve learned how to cook them a couple of ways that make them surprisingly tasty. This recipe is the first one that I tried where I really liked them, the other is Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Dijon Dressing which is completely unexpected but thoroughly delicious. That is a more sophisticated approach, this is rustic, simple and hugely satisfying. I’ve used this recipe to re-introduce others to an entirely different Brussels sprout than we all knew and hated as kids.
Take the time to properly roast the Brussels sprouts – in a cast-iron deep skillet is the absolute best way as the even heat caramelizes the sprouts, making them nutty, rich and very flavorful. Roasting opens up the flavors that are otherwise locked away and missed.
Here’s what you could grow in your garden for this recipe –
A good caramelization will have some dark spots on the Brussels sprouts, but don't worry - it adds to the flavor!
Pan Roasting Brussels Sprouts
The hardest part of this dish is caramelizing the Brussels sprouts – which isn’t that difficult, just requiring a bit of patience. Allow time to let them slowly brown. Here’s what the caramelizing looks like… no they aren’t burned, but you don’t want to go much darker than this! The slow caramelizing adds an unexpected nuttiness and depth of flavor.
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts Closeup
A closer view of what they look like when almost done. They will be slightly firm but not crunchy, yet a long way from limp and slimy!
Plated Roasted Brussels Sprouts
On to the plate and ready for a feast!
The much-maligned Brussels sprouts can be made into dishes that will win over almost everyone. The key is to roast them, bringing out their sweetness by caramelizing and tenderizing them. Their rich, nutty flavor can then come out. This unusual recipe combines the roasting with a delicious twist – a Maple-Dijon dressing that really sets these humble brassicas apart!
Here’s what could come out of your garden for this recipe – Brussels Sprouts!
You can use other cool season veggies to add a different note to this dish. We had some left-over sugar snap peas that we added for a sweet crunch!
Adapted from Mary Janes Farm Oct-Nov 2014 issue
Slicing Brussels Sprouts
After we whipped the Maple-Dijon dressing together and put it into the refrigerator, we started on the slicing. In just a few seconds we went from these…
Sliced Brussels Sprouts
… to this – ready for the pan! Slicing the Brussels sprouts made them much easier and faster to roast.
Ready for the pan!
From there it was short work to dice the apples and chop the sugar snow peas. We added them because they were handy and weren’t tagged for another recipe.
Sauteing vegetables
Once the Brussels sprouts had roasted for a few minutes and started to caramelize, the apples and peas were added.
Adding Maple-Dijon Dressing
A few minutes later, the dressing was added and stirred in.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ready to serve! The combination of flavors – rich and nutty from the sprouts to the sweet and light of the apples and peas, to the sweet/savory of the maple and mustard – all worked really well together.
Classic Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts when slowly pan-roasted with other vegetables are surprisingly delicious, simple and very satisfying. An excellent meal or side dish.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Dijon Dressing
Pan-roasted Brussels Sprouts are rich and nutty and when combined with Maple-Dijon dressing, really sets them apart! A great side dish for family dinners.