Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I know some people that begin to drive heave if they are threatened to eat a brussel sprout.  A couple are in my immediate family.  Growing up my mom on occasion would make them but they were usually either steam or boiled with some butter on them.  Although I could probably stomach that now, at the time it was one of the most disgusting flavors.  The smell was similar to what a Band-Aid smells like and I could only imagine what they taste like.  

Had my mom prepared sprouts this way, I'm guessing there would have been a 50/50 chance that I would have actually eaten them.  I mean they are still green and green food in our house was immediately met with rejection, unless it was Jello.  That stuff was delicious!  Just don't ruin it by putting fruit in it!  

The process of roasting brussels is pretty straightforward.  One key is making sure you start with fresh brussels not the frozen version.  If you get the frozen ones, they will be more apt to just steam and bring you and I back to that Band-Aid flavor and smell.  So start fresh!  Then all you need to do is trim a little bit of the chewy stem off of them if there is some.  We like to half or quarter ours from there depending on the size.  You could roast them whole but they would take a LONG time so that's not advised.  Once you halve them, spread them out evenly on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with roughly 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per pound of brussels.  Season generously with salt and I like a little pepper also but not always.  

Once seasoned, put them the oven that was preheated to 425.  Depending on the size they should take anywhere from 20-30 minutes and I like to stir them half way through.  What you are looking for is for them to start turning slightly brown if not black.  In the cooking world that's called carmelization!  Do it!  They aren't burnt, they are perfect that way.  It will bring out some of the natural sugars that are in a plant that is inherently bitter and if prepared poorly can taste like Band-Aids! 

Try it this, I bet you will like brussels for the first time!  Or at worst you won't hate them.  

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