Country French Roasted Brussels Sprouts

with Maple, Whole Grain Mustard, and Herbs de Provence

Best. Brussels Sprouts. Ever.

Note: You can easily vary this recipe. Simply switch out the herbs de Provence for another herb, and change the flavor profile to suit your entrée.

When I was a child, vegetables grew in frozen rectangular blocks. And what a variety of vegetables the world had to offer! Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, string beans, spinach, and brussels sprouts. And that was the world of vegetables.

Mom would bring a saucepan, with just a few ounces of water and a pinch of salt, to a boil, the vegetable block would be lowered in, and the pot would be covered. They would cook in this fashion for about 10 minutes and then be drained and served, occasionally with a bit of butter.

That, in our universe, was what vegetables were and, kind of shockingly, we liked them. Even those grayish, mushy little balls of Brussels sprouts.

It was years before my brother and I came to realize that vegetables could be so much more, years before we knew Brussels sprouts could be roasted, crisp and richly flavored.

The rectangular frozen blocks are gone from my life. Our vegetables are fresh, and we eat many more kinds than those seven of my youth. We cook them in all sorts of ways. With Brussels sprouts, my favorite method is roasting.

Nowadays, lots of people roast brussels sprouts. It’s practically a fad—a delicious fad—and I’m right there in the fray. But I still boil those little buggers. I find that a quick dip in boiling water before roasting assures that those crispy green morsels will also be tender and juicy on the inside. Then, roasting in a bit of oil with whatever seasonings tickle my fancy at the moment delivers a crispy and flavorful finish.

So, say goodbye to those insipid, soggy little sprouts and try these. Even those who’ve professed to hate Brussels sprouts have eagerly returned for seconds when these babies hit the table.

I never measure the ingredients for this dish, but please don’t let that put you off the recipe. It’s flexible and forgiving, and I promise you’ll have no problem producing a fabulous finished product. This recipe is specifically for Country French Roasted Brussels Sprouts (because of the herbs that I use), but you can use the same method with other seasonings to change the flavor profile. The spicy Aleppo pepper offers a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the maple syrup—use as much or as little as you like, or leave it out if you don’t like heat. For this dish, you don’t want a creamy mustard; you just want the whole seeds. And do not use “pancake syrup” or “table syrup.” Only pure maple syrup will do here.

Ingredients:

1 or more pounds fresh Brussels Sprouts
Good fruity extra virgin olive oil, enough to lightly coat all the sprouts.
A light sprinkle of fleur de sel (you can also substitute kosher salt)
A few grinds of black pepper
A sprinkle of garlic powder, to taste
A few spoons of whole grain mustard
A drizzle of pure maple syrup
A sprinkle of herbs de Provence
Optional: Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, or other hot pepper of your choosing

Method:

Preheat oven to 400º
Peel off any yellow or raggedy leaves from the Brussels sprouts and trim the bases flat.
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil and drop in the sprouts. Set a timer for 2-4 minutes, depending upon the size of your sprouts. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.
When the timer dings, quickly scoop out the sprouts with a slotted spoon and drop them into the ice water to stop the cooking. You want the sprouts to be tender inside but still firm.
When cool enough to handle, remove the brussels sprouts from the bowl and set them on paper towels to dry them well. Then, slice the sprouts lengthwise, in half or in quarters depending upon their size.
Line a baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment to prevent the syrup from burning onto your pan.
Toss the cut sprouts in the oil. While they shouldn’t be swimming in oil, you want to use a fair amount to coat them well. You can do this right on the baking sheet. Sprinkle on all the seasoning ingredients, spoon on whole grain mustard to taste, and drizzle with the maple syrup—don’t hesitate to be generous with the syrup. Using your hands, toss the sprouts in all of the seasonings, the oil, and the syrup, to coat them evenly and thoroughly. Don’t worry if some of the leaves fall off. They’ll roast right along with the big pieces.
Turn the sprouts so that they are cut side down and in a single layer on the pan, and slide it into the oven. Start checking them after 10 minutes. The oil and syrup should caramelize to blacken the sprouts a bit on the edges and leave them a little sticky. Watch that they don’t go too far and burn.
When done, scoop them into a serving dish.
Note: If they’re done before the rest of the meal is ready, I reheat them in the microwave, in their serving bowl, for a minute before serving.

country french

roasted brussels sprouts