Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts

I am a complete devotee of my weekly produce basket. Bountiful Baskets is an amazing, affordable co-op program that makes it possible to get oodles of fresh, nutritious produce for as low as $16.50/week for a conventional produce purchase (which would easily run $45-60 in the store. Check the site to see if the program is available in your area). We haul in a treasure trove of fruits and veggies every Saturday morning, and I seriously spend all week looking forward to what I joyfully refer to as "basket day." One of the interesting side-effects of lots of fresh produce is the need to make something each day, at every meal, that involves fresh fruits and veggies. Sometimes, it's as simple as making a side salad with dinner and eating some fruit throughout the day as a snack. Other days, it is more challenging.

For two weeks in a row, I have gotten a honkin' bag of brussels sprouts. I have never really liked them before, but I have now been fortunate enough to make two recipes that have changed my opinion of these cute little cabbages. The other week, I made some amazing Balsamic Braised Brussels Sprouts with Maple Bacon (seriously, these are to die for), and last night, I made these delish Browned Butter Brussels. These hearty veggies are brushed with butter, roasted, and then tossed with an ample amount of browned butter (have you had browned butter? It is beyond compare. Nutty, toasty, complex. Oh heck. I am going weak in the knees just thinking about it). They are quick and easy to prepare, and will convert even the pickiest of eaters.


While browsing Pinterest, I ran across some recipes that got pretty complex with reduction sauces, but one of them used browned butter and got me thinking...what if I just seasoned and roasted them and tossed them with the glorious browned butter? It was a fabulous decision. Simple and tasty. No tricky reductions to be found. So grab some brussels, head to the kitchen, and get cracking!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Start with about one pound of brussels. Wash them, trim any stems, and remove any yucky outer leaves.

Chop the brussels in half and make sure any dirt clinging to the inner leaves has been rinsed away.

Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Pour a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil on the foil and use a pastry brush to coat the foil. This will prevent the brussels from sticking and will also allow them to get extra browned on the cut side.

Place the brussels on the foil, cut side down. Melt one tablespoon of butter, and using a pastry brush, lightly coat each of the sprouts with the butter.

Sprinkle the sprouts with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper.

 Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until the brussels are browned and tender.

Melt 7 tablespoons of butter (the remainder of the stick) in a small saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until the butter has turned caramel in color and smells slightly nutty, between 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Pour the butter over the brussels, tossing to combine them.

 Serve as a delicious side dish to any main course. We ate these with a delicious "Skinny" Chicken Francese with Summer Squash and Zucchini.

Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

-1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved

-1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil

-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

-3-4 turns of freshly ground black pepper

-1 stick of unsalted butter, separated into 1 tablespoon and 7 tablespoons

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Wash and trim Brussels sprouts. Slice in half. 

3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Using a pastry brush, brush foil with one teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Place the Brussels cut side down on the foil. Melt one tablespoon of unsalted butter. Use a pastry brush, coat the tops of the sprouts with the melted butter. Sprinkle sprouts with a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and 3-4 turns of freshly ground black pepper.

4. Roast the Brussels at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until they have browned and become tender. Set aside.

5. While the Brussels are roasting, heat 7 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly for 10-15 minutes, simmering, until the butter has turned a caramel color and smells slightly nutty. Remove from heat.

6. Toss roasted Brussels with the browned butter. Serve immediately as a side dish to a delicious main course.