Flavor Bomb Brussels Sprouts

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There is no rule that says you have to serve your favorite Thanksgiving vegetables exactly the same way every year, and if there was, I promise I’d be the first to break it. Last year, my husband and I had a very small get together for Thanksgiving—just the two of us and a dear friend who loves big flavor as much as we do. It was my year for the turkey, and I broke the biggest rule of all about not experimenting on Thanksgiving. I dry-brined my bird for the first time ever and I have no regrets (more on that later). We also took a few liberties with the usual sides, and came up with winners in several categories, including these bursting-with-flavor Brussels sprouts.

If you’re ready to inject some serious flavor into one of your standard holiday sides— I’m talking scallions, capers, garlic, jalapeno peppers, anchovies and walnuts—then you’re going to love this recipe, with inspiration from a dish I enjoyed in one of Michael Symon’s restaurants in Cleveland, Ohio.

A dozen years ago, I had occasion to visit Cleveland while on a two-week getaway that also included a stop in Buffalo to the original home of hot wings. Ooh yeah, I was really living it up that summer! To be fair, there was purpose to my trip beyond my foodie cravings. Most of my crazy family lives in the Buffalo area, so that was my eventual destination and I went by way of Cleveland. I had scored tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where I spent—count ‘em—9½ hours walking around and gazing at the musical exhibits. It was a damn fun day for this former disc jockey, and I hope to get back there soon with my music-loving husband. But I digress.

This place alone is worth the trip to Cleveland!

The next evening after my Rock Hall adventure, I stopped for dinner at another Cleveland landmark—a neighborhood bar and restaurant called Lolita. It was opened by Chef Symon before he became famous as an Iron Chef on Food Network, and it still felt like a place for locals.

Sadly, a fire broke out in Lolita’s kitchen in 2016 and the restaurant is now permanently closed, but I’m still enjoying my memory of the dish that inspired today’s recipe. As I recall, when the server approached the table with a cheerful greeting, she asked, “Can I bring you a beverage to enjoy with your Brussels sprouts appetizer?” Apparently, it was a given that we would be ordering them, as nearly every guest did. They were that popular, and they were truly amazing with crispy, deep-fried edges and a feisty, umami-bomb vinaigrette dressing. I later tried making them at home, Symon-style, but I’m not proficient with deep frying and don’t care for the odor it leaves in the house.

If you want to give it a go in the deep fryer, you can still find Symon’s original recipe for them here. But if you’d rather try my lighter, healthier approach of roasting, then meet me in the kitchen!

As with any recipe, good prep leads to success.

I started by toasting a handful of walnuts for the dressing, then prepping the sprouts. For even roasting, be sure the sprouts are completely dry before you slice and drizzle them with oil. Lingering water from rinsing will effectively steam the sprouts, giving them more of a soft, mushy texture and you’ll miss out on the caramelization that happens when they roast.

Test doneness with a fork, and stop when the sprouts are al dente with some caramelized edges.

After roasting, I cooled the sprouts and set them aside while I finished a few other things for our Turkey Day feast. If you need to multi-task, as we usually do on Thanksgiving, par-cooking vegetables is a good way to go, as they only need a few quick minutes to finish them at serving time. You could even prep these Brussels sprouts a day before, and then take them from the fridge a half hour before dinner. They’ll finish better if they are room temperature rather than ice cold.

Now, let’s talk about the big flavor happening in this dressing! If you can’t tolerate the jalapeno heat, you could omit them or substitute a spoonful of pimientos, but I can assure you that the flavor gets dispersed so evenly, it is not all that hot. The red wine vinegar and honey do a lovely little contra dance in the background, and the garlic, scallions and anchovies keep the dish firmly grounded in savory flavor land. In other words, the dressing is the real star of this dish.

If you want heat, keep some of the seeds!
The honey strikes a balance against the salt and heat.
My anchovies were packed in chile-infused oil. So good!
I didn’t bother rinsing the capers.
The scallions add a bit of freshness and crunch.

Whisk it together while the sprouts are roasting, and again just before dressing them. I kept the scallions a bit on the chunky side, so I stirred them in with the walnuts right at the end. I missed getting a picture of the final, important step (multi-tasking—sorry!) but it’s a simple one. Give the par-roasted Brussels sprouts a quick spin through a hot skillet for about two minutes, then toss them in the mouthwatering vinaigrette and serve them hot.

Flavor Bomb Brussels Sprouts

  • Servings: 6 sides
  • Difficulty: Average
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If your Thanksgiving table needs an injection of big flavor, the feisty vinaigrette on these Brussels sprouts will get the job done! You can prep these ahead somewhat by roasting and then chilling, and give them a few minutes in a hot skillet just before you toss them in the dressing to serve.


Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
  • A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for roasting
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted in oven for 8 minutes, then cooled and chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 red jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 4 anchovy fillets, finely minced (mine were packed in chili oil, and the heat was great!)
  • 2 tsp. capers
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 scallions, white and green parts cut on bias
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (mine was infused with lemon, but any bright variety will do)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F, with rack in center position. Spread walnuts out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for about 6 minutes, until they are just fragrant. Cool completely and then break into pieces.
  2. Wrap the washed Brussels sprouts in a clean kitchen towel and roll them around to completely remove excess water. Carefully slice the sprouts into 1/4-inch slices. Wick away any residual moisture with a paper towel. Transfer the sprouts to a medium bowl and drizzle olive oil over them. Spread them out onto the parchment-lined pan and give them a quick seasoning with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, until softened but still al dente and bright green. If you are working ahead, let the sprouts cool and then wrap them up and send them to the fridge until 30 minutes before serving time.
  3. While the sprouts are roasting, prepare the vinaigrette by stirring together vinegar, jalapeno, garlic, honey, and anchovies. Season with a few twists of ground pepper, but skip the salt because the capers and anchovies have plenty. Whisk in the olive oil and stir in the capers. and scallions.
  4. When you’re ready to serve, give the Brussels sprouts a quick spin through a hot skillet dashed with oil or bacon drippings. Let them get a few crispy edges. Toss in dressing with broken walnuts and serve immediately.

Lemon-Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts

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My love for Brussels sprouts is not exactly new, but I remember a time when my nose would wrinkle at the mere mention of them. If you were forced to try them, as I was for the first time, from the frozen section of the grocery store and drenched in a nasty, congealed “butter” sauce, then you can probably relate. They were mushy, bland and bitter, and the sauce only made them worse. There should be laws against this kind of vegetable abuse.

Later, when I was a teenager fulfilling my household chore of tending the home garden, I found myself intrigued by these enormous stalks covered in bulbous little cabbage heads. It was the first time I had ever seen them as nature intended, and it pleases me now to see them presented that way at Trader Joe’s, where they are proudly perched this time of year in a large case just inside the entrance.

Cutting the individual sprouts off the stalk can be a bit tedious (I still cringe as I remember doing so all those years ago), and I’ll confess here that I usually prefer to buy them already cut and packed up in the mesh bags. They should be firm and bright green in color, with no wilted leaves in sight. To prep them, you only need to wash them under running water and trim a thin slice off the bottom, allowing the outer leaves to fall away. Cut them in half from top to bottom and toss them in the marinade for a few minutes, then into the oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

The sprouts should have tightly layered leaves and a firm exterior. Slice the shallot into rings.

Brussels sprouts are part of the brassica family of vegetables and, like their cousins (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale), they are positively loaded with nutrients. Additionally, they have terrific heft and body that make them an essential part of our Thanksgiving day table.

Last year, I shared a spicy-sweet version of Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts, and this year, an alternative for those who like a fresher, tangy twist. The lemon and pomegranate flavors are simple to impart—I love the flavor-infused balsamic vinegars that are available in the boutique oil and vinegar shops that seem to be everywhere these days (or can be found for online ordering). This recipe uses the pomegranate balsamic, plus lemon-fused olive oil and the juice and zest of a fresh lemon. These sprouts are simple to make, and you can roast them in the oven while your turkey is resting. Or, if you are going plant-based this year, they can probably be roasted alongside whatever else you have in the oven.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 pound bag of fresh Brussels sprouts (cleaned, trimmed and halved)

1 medium shallot, sliced into rings

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice plus the zest

Pinch of sugar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I love the lemon-fused)

2 Tbsp. pomegranate-infused balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

  • Whisk the oil into the lemon juice with a pinch of sugar. You want the oil to become emulsified rather than separated, so that the marinade clings to the sprouts.
  • Toss them about in the marinade until evenly coated. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sprouts to a baking sheet, and reserve excess marinade.
  • Give the sprouts a little breathing room, and place them cut side-down on the parchment paper. Roast for 20 minutes.
  • Transfer the roasted sprouts back into the bowl with remaining marinade and pour the balsamic mixture over them, tossing to coat.
  • The second roasting helps seal the tangy-sweet balsamic into the sprouts. They can face either up or down for the second roasting, which should be about 5 minutes.
  • The balsamic vinegar will caramelize slightly, and the lemon and pomegranate flavors are a nice balance to the richer foods on the Thanksgiving table.
  1. Heat oven to 400° F, with rack in a center to upper position in the oven.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil in a slow, steady stream into the lemon juice, sugar and zest. Season with a pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper. Do not add the pomegranate balsamic at this stage.
  3. Add the trimmed brussels sprouts to the bowl and toss until evenly coated with the marinade. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out of the bowl, and reserve the marinade that remains in the bowl. Arrange the sprouts, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Aim to separate them a bit so that they don’t steam from overcrowding. Roast for about 20 minutes.
  4. Whisk the balsamic into what is left of the oil-lemon juice marinade until it is smooth and not separated. Toss the hot sprouts back into the bowl and toss until evenly coated. Spoon them back out onto the parchment-lined sheet and put them back into the oven for about five minutes, just long enough to heat through and add a touch of caramelization.
Delicious!

These lemon-pomegranate brussels sprouts are best served immediately, but you can reheat them in the microwave if you need the oven space for other dishes.

Lemon-Pomegranate Brussels SproutsPrint