Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pears

What exactly is the root of all this antipathy toward Brussels sprouts?

Is it the color? Sometimes it's not easy being green. Or yellowish-green.

Is it the smell? You know what I'm talking about. Boil Brussels sprouts on your stove top for 10 minutes and the neighbors will begin to wonder which farm animal you recently adopted.

Is it your mother's fault? If she served mushy, water-logged, brown Brussels sprouts when you were a kid, it's not your fault that you hate them.

Let me attempt to ingratiate Brussels sprouts with you, especially since many of you will likely be cooking and/or eating them next week on Thanksgiving.

Though Brussels sprouts have been around since ancient times, they are named after the city of Brussels in Belgium, where they have been cultivated (and appreciated) since Medieval times. Brussels sprouts are members of the brassica family, so they're related to broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kolrabi, none of which are going to win any popularity contests. That's why Brussels sprouts taste like cabbage and are sometimes referred to as "mini cabbages."




5 Tips for Liking Brussels Sprouts:

1. Select brightly colored Brussels sprouts that are free of black spots or other blemishes, which indicate they are old.

2. Choose smaller Brussels sprouts, which tend to be nuttier in flavor and less "cabbagy" tasting.

3. DO NOT overcook them. Overcooked Brussels sprouts release more sulfur, which causes that smell. You know the one.

4. How you cook Brussels sprouts makes a big difference in how they taste. First par-boil Brussels sprouts and "shock" them. Partially boil the sprouts for 2-3 minutes, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water; this will stop the cooking process and maintain the sprouts' vibrant color. Then you can saute them on the stove top or roast them in the oven.

5. If you are invited to someone's house for Thanksgiving this year, offer to make the Brussels sprouts, so you don't have to suffer Aunt Maude's sadly boiled, mealy sprouts for another year. Everyone will be thankful for that.

And for you food bloggers out there, here's a secret for building traffic. Come up with a killer Brussels sprouts recipe. Believe it or not, of all the posts I have written, one that continually elicits reader emails is Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Breadcrumbs and Lemon. Many people have emailed me thank you notes, saying that this "sunny" version of Brussels sprouts has become their new favorite. I even had one woman say she subscribed to my feed because of that recipe.

So there you have it, a way to build blog traffic and reader subscribers with Brussels sprouts. I wonder if Problogger knows about this.



Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pears
Makes 6 servings
Print recipe only here.

Sweet honey and pears act as a foil to the earthy Brussels sprouts. It's a simple yet elegant dish that is ideal for a holiday dinner.

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 large Bartlett or Bosc pears, unpeeled, and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
salt and several cranks of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large saucepan boil Brussels sprouts for 2 minutes; drain.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (except walnuts) and toss until vegetables are well coated. Lay vegetables in a single layer on a tin-foil lined baking sheet (for easy clean-up). Roast for 20 minutes, turning once, or until vegetables have a few brown spots.

Place cooked vegetables in a serving dish. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and some extra salt and thyme. Serve immediately.

Don't forget to check out the previous three traditional Thanksgiving side dishes with a twist:

Roasted Acorn Squash with Honey-Lime Glazed Pepitas





Olive Oil, Caramelized Onion, and Sage Sweet Potatoes





String Beans with Prosciutto, Pine Nuts, and Meyer Lemon

• Jeanne's Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
• Joey's Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Wine
• Kalyn's Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts
• The Expatriate's Kitchen Crispy Brussels Sprouts

I'm sending this to Siri of Siri's Corner who is the hosting this week's Weekend Herb Blogging.

Brussels Sprouts on Botox

It happens every Sunday. Clamoring crowds jostle for space around the popular tables at the farmers’ market to check out the hip Meyer lemons, the chic wild arugula, and the sexy red strawberries (yes Dad, we really did have fresh strawberries this past week).

Not so at the cruciferous vegetables table. There lie the Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower (of which only the funky Romanesco variety is getting any attention). These uncomely vegetables patiently wait for someone to come by and check them out. It is a long wait.

This past Sunday the Brussels sprouts were carelessly dumped in a lop-sided pile, causing stray runaway sprouts to keep rolling off the table's edge and onto the concrete. Inspired by Molly’s witty post at Orangette, I thought I would take on a challenge. A makeover for three undatable vegetables: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli. The make-up? Breadcrumbs.

There aren’t many foods in Italian homes that don’t get egged and breadcrumbed to spectacular results. Vegetables from eggplant to zucchini, meats from chicken to veal, and seafood from calamari to smelts, when made with the right breadcrumbs, are brilliant in their simplicity and fabulous in their flavor. Fortunately, my mom and dad had recently sent me a fresh container of Buono’s Bakery breadcrumbs from Rhode Island.

Seriously. My parents actually ship me breadcrumbs.

Turns out that the closest place to get good breadcrumbs from my apartment in LA is exactly 2,970 miles away (I Google mapped it). We cannot get good breadcrumbs here. "You’re crazy!" you say. Nope. We’re not. We have lived in California for 3 ½ years; we have tried pounds of breadcrumbs. They just don't compare. Every time we got breadcrumbs, we would always say, "Well, they’re not as good as Buono’s." So we decided, why not have mom ship us some? And so it began. As you will learn from this blog, there are many things which are shipped from RI to CA, most of which originate from Federal Hill in Providence.

If you can’t get Buono’s breadcrumbs, you can:

1. Make them from scratch.
2. Use Panko breadcrumbs.
3. Ask my mom to send you some. Actually, don’t. She seriously would send them to you.

Today, I’ll share the Brussels sprouts recipe; the cauliflower and broccoli ones will follow shortly. To keep my meals low-cal and healthy, I don’t fry vegetables; I prefer to bake them in a hot oven or to sauté them with a little bit of olive oil or butter. While I often make Brussels sprouts with a maple syrup or brown sugar glaze, I love this lighter, cleaner version as well. Here, the sprouts are par-boiled then sautéed until blistered, browned, and slightly crunchy. The savory butter and garlic mellows the sprouts’ bitterness, and the citrus adds a tangy, bright touch. It’s a breeze to make, and with the right lighting and make-up, even Brussels sprouts can look pretty.



Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Breadcrumbs and Lemon
Makes 4 servings.
Print recipe only here.

3 cups Brussels sprouts,halved
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of lemon zest
¼ cup breadcrumbs, toasted
Salt & pepper, to taste

Peel off any marked outer leaves of the sprouts and trim the bottoms; slice in half. Boil for 3-4 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water; this will stop the cooking and maintain the sprouts' vibrant color.
To toast the breadcrumbs, place in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, while giving the pan handle a few shakes to toast the breadcrumbs evenly. Once they begin to turn golden, remove them from the heat and place in a bowl, as the heat from the pan will continue to toast them.

Meanwhile in a skillet over medium heat, sauté the garlic in the butter. Once the butter begins to bubble up and the garlic starts to jump a little, add the sprouts. Cook about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown spots start to appear on the sprouts. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Add the toasted breadcrumbs into the skillet and toss gently. Add more breadcrumbs on top before serving; sprinkle with lemon zest if desired.