roasted brussels sprouts 2.0

Disclaimer: Poor, rushed writing ahead!

Yesterday I made an ambitious promise - to test-run Thanksgiving recipes today and post that (if successful) by TONIGHT.  So today I had an ambitious goal - to make good on that promise.  I had three things I was planning to make - roasted butternut squash with brown sugar and pecans, mashed cauliflower that masquerade unnoticeably as potatoes, and an improved version of brussels sprouts after taking mental notes from my observations at work.



But, as expected whenever I make lofty plans for myself, by the time I got done with them, I only ended up with one thing good enough to share.  And yes, it's something that I've already made before.

I LOVE NATURE!

But in my defense, I nailed it.  And I truly mean that as more of a triumphant "YES, I nailed it!!!" than a "Uhhh huh. I nailed that shiz."  The last time you saw brussels sprouts here, they weren't horrible but there were definitely things that I wasn't 100% satisfied with - they were a little too rich, not as browned as I'd like, and a little too firm inside.  After paying more close attention to the folks at my work who make our amazing brussels sprouts, I made a few changes to the recipe that solved all these problems - cutting the sprouts smaller, roasting them first at a screaming high temperature, using turkey bacon and olive oil rather than bacon fat, and adding a generous splash of lemon juice to brighten the whole dish.  All of this results in crispier sprouts, crispier bacon, better flavor, and better texture - basically perfection, and something you can definitely, definitely use this week.



On another note, I actually am a little sad about this and wish I planned ahead because I wanted to be able to share more recipes with you (the cauliflower recipe in particular).  Even though my roommates said otherwise, I didn't think they were perfect and I didn't want to make changes to the recipes without trying them myself.  So I'll work on those and post them in time for next month's big holiday dinner - stay tuned :)



Roasted Brussels Sprouts 2.0

2 lbs brussels sprouts, quartered
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
4 slices turkey bacon, minced
2 tbsp minced garlic
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
handful of shaved fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 450F.  Spread brussels sprouts and onions into a single layer onto a sheet pan, drizzle generously with olive oil, and toss to coat - there should be enough oil so that the vegetables glisten, but not so much that the oil pools on the pan.  DO NOT season with salt at this point - it will draw out moisture and the sprouts won't brown as well.  Place sheet pan into the top rack of the oven, and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking.  When there are about 5 minutes left for the sprouts in the oven, place a 10-inch skillet over high heat and pour enough olive oil to coat the entire surface of the pan.  When the oil is shimmering, add the bacon to the pan and cook until the bacon darkens and is just beginning to crisp.  Then, add the garlic to the pan and cook until it turns golden brown.  Add the sprouts to the pan, throw in a generous pinch of salt and a few rounds of freshly cracked black pepper.  Toss the sprouts in the pan with everything using either a flick of the wrist or a spatula (if you don't want casualties scattered around your kitchen floor).  Add the lemon juice to the pan and toss once more.  Taste and add more salt/pepper if necessary.  Empty your skillet onto your serving platter, and sprinkle with shaved fontina.