Savory Brussels Sprouts!

Mr. Lawyer has been on a big brussels sprouts kick so for our impromptu Thanksgiving I surprised him with a batch. This maybe our favorite roasted brussels sprouts recipe to date! Now I do have  a soft spot for the sweet maple roasted ones but Mr. Lawyer prefers the savory ones. This recipe might have won me over to the savory side. I think the smoked paprika adds an interesting flavor that we couldn't get enough of.

Delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts

(adapted from Alton Brown)

Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Cut off the stem end of the Brussels sprouts and remove any yellowing outer leaves. Cut in half if desired or leave whole.
2. Mix the olive oil, garlic, mustard, paprika and salt. Toss with the brussels sprouts.

3. Preheat oven to 400 and cook 15 to 30 minutes depending on the size. 

Happy New Year!

Woo! The first post better be something amazing right? Behold Brussels Sprouts! I suppose it's like a New Year's Resolution: More veggies! Healthier eating! Which I think will be pretty fun and easy with all my new toys.

Side note: things that are carbon steel (like my wok) or cast iron need to be cared for properly. One of the tips I have come across while researching recipes is that you should wash your pan immediately (warm water and sponge), dry it and put it back on the burner. The residual heat will ensure that all the moisture evaporates and won't rust your pan! Easy Peasy! 

Yet another recipe (3rd one!) from the January Bon Appetit: Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts! Which just happened to be one sale at WF the other day. Cheap and healthy, score. The New Year is off to a good start. Even though I didn't have the oyster sauce it still came out fine. Mr. Lawyer liked it better than the Martha Stewart Maple and Cayenne Brussels Sprouts because he preferred the savoriness of this recipe over the sweetness of the Martha one. I am on the fence. I loved the sweetness (um, it's maple = amazing all the time) but the savoriness was very delicious and it had a nice underlying asian cuisine flavor.

Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Chile

(adapted from Bon Appetit) 

Ingredients:
4 cups halved brussels sprouts
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
1/4 cup oyster sauce (I didn't have any but it came out fine!)
4 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon (or more) 1/8"-thick slices of red Thai chiles
Pinch of ground white pepper
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
Directions:
1. Blanch brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 15 seconds. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until light golden brown, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl.
3. Increase heat to high; add brussels sprouts. Stir-fry until they begin to soften, 2–3 minutes. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, pepper and chiles. Stir fry for 30 seconds.

4. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes; add more chiles, if desired. Stir in garlic.

Lefties and Veggies!

Tonight was Leftover Part II! Served up with a side of brussels sprouts. The leftover fajita makings went straight into a quesadilla (I used my throw it in a 350 degree oven for 10 minute recipe). I am madly in love with the brussels sprouts recipe. Well it does involve maple syrup so what's not to love? It's a wonderful combination of sweet and spicy. Mr. Lawyer inhaled a bunch of them and if you can get a boy to eat a ton of veggies it's a keeper right?

Brussels Sprouts with Maple and Cayenne

(from Martha Stewart's Food Everyday)

Ingredients:
2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss brussels sprouts with olive oil; season with salt. Roast until brussels sprouts are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. 

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine syrup and cayenne pepper. Drizzle brussels sprouts with maple syrup mixture, stir to coat, and roast 1 minute.

Getting the Quesadilla prepped!