Crispy Brussels Sprouts

{Crispy Brussels Sprouts Recipe from Connecticut in Style}

I’ve often wondered if the reason people don’t like certain foods is simply due to the fact that they haven’t been cooked correctly. When my husband and I first started dating, I would cook dinner for him, and he almost always refused the vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, carrots, green beans and the like. Not to brag, but they had been either steamed or sautéed to perfection, their colors were bright and beautiful and I would lightly sprinkle them with salt to bring out their gorgeous flavor. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why he didn’t want to eat them. The mystery was solved one day as he was watching me prep veggies for dinner. He told me that when he was growing up, his mom served only canned vegetables. My husband was hesitant to eat them because he assumed that regardless of how they are prepared, they would taste like the canned version.

My experience with Brussels sprouts started on the same ill-fated path when I was a young girl. I remember trying them for the first time and they were so overcooked and mushy that they tasted like mini bitter cabbages. I never touched them after that. Nooooo thank you. Fast forward to years later when I sampled a few Brussels sprouts in a balsamic reduction from a friend’s tapas plate at Barcelona Wine Bar. They were crispy on the outside and cooked perfectly inside. The balsamic glaze made them intensely flavorful and my love affair began. They have a place of honor at our Christmas dinner but I make them whenever I crave them (like this weekend). I wanted to share the recipe I use and my tips on how to prepare them. Enjoy!

CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Preheat oven to 400° degrees

3-4 cups of Brussels sprouts, washed and dried

Slice the hard stem end off, remove any discolored leaves and then slice in half lengthwise

Place the Brussels sprouts in a bowl and drizzle with good quality olive oil (about 4 tablespoons) sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and gently mix until the sprouts are coated evenly

Put a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, transfer the sprouts to the baking sheet and spread them out so they are one layer to ensure they cook evenly

Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and with a spatula, turn the sprouts over and then lightly drizzle balsamic glaze over all the sprouts

Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes and serve immediately – you can also add cooked bacon bits to kick it up a notch!