Last year about this time, I learned that I love Brussels sprouts, and I've had them at least a dozen times since them. (I love vegetables in general, but these are damned tasty things!) I've only eaten Brussels sprouts that someone else has made me, though, so tonight I braved my own Brussels sprouts recipe. It turned out so very tasty I knew that I had to share it with you.
We got three bulbs of fresh, organic fennel in our produce box last week and I had heard from a coworker that fennel it was an amazing edition to Brussels sprouts. I had a goal in mind. I bought a bag of Trader Joe's Brussels sprouts that were "microwavable in 3 minutes" but opted not to follow that path. Instead, this is what I did.
Preheat the oven to 450*F.
1. Wash the sprouts. Talk lovingly to them.
2. Put sprouts into a bowl, and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
4. Shake bowl to cover all sprouts with seasoning.
5. Put sprouts into baking pan (or cookie sheet) and roast in oven for 8 minutes.
6. While sprouts are roasting, cut up fennel bulbs, rinse, and talk lovingly to them.
7. Put fennel into a bowl, and drizzle with olive oil.
8. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
9. Shake bowl to cover all bulbs with seasoning.
10. Remove sprouts from oven, add bulbs to the mix, put back into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
11. Take pan out, put sprouts on plate, insert sprouts into mouth and let your belly be happy.
Two things I will change for the next recipe, though, include buying absolutely fresh Brussels sprouts (just because I can) and cutting them in half before roasting them so that there is more seasoning on them.
Tomorrow I try my hand at Caldo Gallego as well as old-fashioned baked apples. If the recipes turn out well, I'll share those, too!
