The Humble Brussels Sprout

Is there a more maligned vegetable than the Brussels Sprout? It's a little homely and certainly has a bad reputation due to people cooking the life out of them. It was not a veggie often cooked in our house when I was growing up but I recall a couple of occasions when a package of Birds Eye Brussels Sprouts were served up. The plastic package was boiled in hot water for way too long and then it was cut open and out poured some horrid little balls of badness covered in a cloying cheese sauce.

For those of you who feel as I did, that there is no good way to fix a brussels sprout, I am here to prove you wrong. Roasting. That is the answer. It creates a wonderful, nicely browned, well cooked vegetable, full of flavor and nutrition. I learned a new technique while reading an article about roasting various vegetables and that is to cook them on parchment paper. I tried this today with the roasted vegetables I made for our Sunday roast beef dinner. The vegetables did not stick at all to the paper which is often the case when I have just put them on a baking sheet. I would lose half the veggie on the tray due to sticking. It makes clean up a breeze also.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 lb. small to medium brussels sprouts (stems trimmed and outer leaves removed)

olive oil

salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the brussels sprouts in half and toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and coat the sprouts. Lay the sprouts cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Put in a serving bowl and dust them with a grating of Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.