Herbed Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This dish vexed me for years before I got it right. I love roasted Brussels sprouts when they're done well, but it seemed like roasting them well was a sensitive and finicky operation, like selecting the proper temperature for orchids. Or maybe I was just using poor recipes. Who knows?


fig. A.) A sprout, mocking me.

Herbed Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
(makes 3-4 servings as a side dish)

• 24 brussels sprouts
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tsp chopped sage
• salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400° F.

Remove the stems from the sprouts, and cut each one in half. In a bowl, stir the sprouts, oil, garlic, thyme, and sage until each piece is thoroughly coated in oil and spices. Spread the sprouts evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake.

The trick is to bake them until they're crispy on the outside, but still tender in the middle, which for my oven was 27 minutes. Because no two ovens are alike, I would suggest experimenting baking them for between 25-30 minutes. You will notice the outer leaves are blackened but the center is still green when they're ready.

Remove the sprouts from the oven, add salt and pepper then serve immediately, with or without a creamy dipping sauce.


fig. B.) Delightful, crunchy sprouts.