This is Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Brown Butter and Lemon. It’s really really good. You need to try it. You can go straight to the recipe now (stroll down)…or read further if you need more convincing…
Hating brussels sprouts is a thing of the past. Nowadays it’s trending into restaurant menus and becoming increasingly popular in home kitchens too. Last summer while dining at Mastro’s Ocean Club in Las Vegas I had the most incredible brussels sprouts. When i asked the cute waiter what made them so deliciously amazingly good he replied with pride ‘brown butter’. (He was cute AND nice).
Here are some simple tips you absolutely need to know before making these brussels sprouts:
1/ Roast the brussels sprouts. Please don’t ever ever boil them (otherwise you’ll hate them)
2/ Dress the brussels sprouts with brown butter. You need this one-ingredient wonder to disguise that bitter taste brussels sprouts have (bitter = bad).
3/ Serve them very warm. The nutty and caramelized taste from the butter intensifies when warm (more flavor the better).
Interestingly enough, brussels sprouts has three times more vitamin C than oranges. Now that’s encouraging for me since I can’t have oranges due to its super high sugar content. Brussels sprouts also has a very high level of vitamin K (something encouraging for everybody because it helps prevent blood clotting as well as build and and maintain healthy bones).
So lets eat delicious brussels sprouts…and stay healthy while doing so.
Recipe adapted from Martha Holmberg of Fine Cooking.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Brown Butter and Lemon
The brown butter sauce in this brussels sprouts recipe gives it the sweet nutty and caramelized flavor that brussel sprouts needs to disguise the bitterness in taste.
Ingredients
- BRUSSELS SPROUTS PREP:
- 1.5 pounds (680g) brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- sea salt (i use Maldon)
- freshly ground black pepper
- BROWN BUTTER MIXTURE:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon shallot, finely minced
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1-1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Heat oven to 425°F (218°C)
- Step 2 Trim sprouts. At the base of each sprout there is a hard dried tip (the stem) where it had been connected to the plant. This is where you need to trim. Then depending on size of the sprouts cut in half or quarters, and if they’re small just leave whole.
- Step 3 Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add all the brussels sprouts, even the loose leafy pieces that have fallen off the core while trimming. Season with a generous amount of sea salt (about 2-3 teaspoons). Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Gently mix and evenly distribute sprouts out on the baking sheet before putting it in the oven. Roast until sprouts are tender (about 20-25 minutes) stirring the sprouts once or twice during roasting. The roasting time depends on the size of sprouts so watch carefully.
- Step 4 While the sprouts are in the oven make the brown butter mixture. Take out your lightest colored pan (just stay away from black because you need to be able to see the butter turning brown). With room temperature butter (if you use cold butter it may easily burn) cut into a few pieces and add to your pan. Turn heat on medium and start melting the butter. Stay near and whisk as it melts.
- Step 5 Once it is all melted add the finely chopped shallots. Continue to whisk the butter until the shallots are softened (about 2 minutes). Raise heat to medium/high and continue whisking (constant whisking allows the butter to cook evenly). The butter will start to foam, the liquid in the butter will start to evaporate and the milk solids in the butter will start falling to the bottom and brown granules will start to form (the butter is browning). You can take the pan off the heat, move the foam off to the side and check the color of the butter.
- Step 6 Once the butter is golden brown in color turn off heat and add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon and fresh thyme (if using). Whisk well. It will turn into a thicker texture.
- Step 7 Take brussel sprouts out of the oven (if you haven’t already done so). Pour brown butter mixture over the warm brussel sprouts. Combine. Taste. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and/or lemon, if needed.
- Step 8 Transfer to a serving bowl. Enjoy.
- Step 9 TIP: You can prepare the brown butter mixture up to 2 hours in advance. Slightly heat right before adding to brussels sprouts.