Brussels Sprout Delight
As a kid, whenever my mother served brussels sprouts I would turn up my nose in protest. Her usual way of preparing was boiling and the bland and mushy result never suited me. When my son came up with this recipe, I reluctantly took a small taste expecting the same experience. How surprised was I to taste a recipe that I have made time and time again since then. I now look forward to “brussels sprout season” in the fall to prepare this simple and savory dish.
Depending on whether you will be using this as a side dish or main, and of course how many people you have in your family will determine the portions you use. We usually make this dish as a side and we usually are serving at least 8-12 people.
Ingredients:
- 1 large brussels sprout stalk
- 1 medium sized butternut squash (may be substituted with any winter squash or several sweet potatoes)
- 1 large, whole garlic clove
- olive oil
- sea salt to taste
Prep and cooking:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove the sprouts from the stalk, wash them well and then cut into halves or quarters depending on the size of each sprout.
- Peel the squash or sweet potatoes and dice them into small chunks.
- Peel the individual garlic cloves and leave whole.
- Choose a large, shallow baking dish, and cover the bottom with olive oil.
- Spread the sprouts, squash and garlic evenly on the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Place in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the veggies are cooked to your liking.
- This is one dish that if left in the oven a wee bit longer than planned because you were distracted by one of the numerous diversions that occur at dinner time, don’t worry! A slight crispiness to the sprouts makes them even sweeter and gives the whole garlic cloves a chance to soften and caramelize.
Quick Cook Substitution:
In the very rare instance when it is just Tom and me cooking for the two of us, we have sautéed the above combo of veggies reducing the portions significantly. With constant stirring and a medium to high heat, it will cook in less than 10 minutes. (Coconut oil is the preference for stove top sautéing).
Photo credit: Tia Ohm
