Monkey Cook: Brussels Sprouts

I was not a fan of veggies as a kid, and Brussels sprouts were the worst. Limp and bitter after their long trip from wherever to a box in our freezer and steaming or boiling, they were gross. Dis.Gus.Ting. My brothers and I devised several ways to get out of ingesting them, from slipping some to the dog (who soon wised up and refused to eat them), folding them into a napkin, or sneaking off to the powder room to flush them down the toilet.

I didn’t eat brussels sprouts once I was able to be vocal enough about my food choices and planned on never eating one for the rest of my life.

And then, I moved to California.

In 2004, my brother Ben came to visit and we went to Firefly restaurant in San Francisco. A typical SF venue, Firefly served yummy veggies off a seasonal menu, and since it was the fall, roasted BS was one of the choices. To my surprise, Ben suggested it and I was like, “Um, did you block out our childhood?”

“Trust me,” he said, “They’re actually good when fresh.” So I did, and OH MY GOD.

Crispy and caramelized, the bitterness tempered by a touch of oil and some nutty parmesan, I was experiencing a come-to-Jesus (if JC were a cruciferous vegetable) moment. Since then I’ve roasted them, sautéed them with nuts and maple syrup, even simply steamed them with some butter & parmesan.

I want to start a Church of the Roasted Vegetable and target market to well-intentioned mothers steaming the crap out of vegetables in the name of health and vitamins. And so I present to you:

Brussels sprouts, another way
Brussels sprouts
Olive oil, enough to coat the veggies
Maple syrup (1t or so)
Salt & pepper (I like By the Sea herb blend)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a cast iron skillet. Place in the oven and roast for about 30 min, until the sprouts are blackened and yummy.

Note: There are two keys to this recipe (and in my opinion, all veggie recipes, especially for fickle little eaters)
1. Cast iron skillet. Add some oil, salt & pepper and the pan will do everything else.
2. Roast the crap out of them. You don’t need much oil and with the heat of the pan they get all yummy & caramelized. Dee-li-cious!