Maple syrup and smoked almonds lend extra flavor to skillet-roasted Brussels sprouts.
Mark Guydish | For Times Leader
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Long-time readers know Brussels sprouts and I have a checkered history. Hated them as a kid, tolerated them as an adult. I noticed MT gnawing on uncooked frozen sprouts in the newsroom (and got the accompanying explanation of their many health benefits) a few years before we started dating. Once married, we grew some in our back yard and learned that letting them stay out until after the first frost mellows the flavor.
I became a fan when I discovered you could roast them, and made a Brussels sprouts gratin for one of my early Test Kitchen articles in 2020 that I proclaimed “my favorite recipe (so far)” for the veggie. Well, so far no more. I think this recipe may equal the gratin variation on my favorites list, with considerably less work. It’s almost as simple as another roasted favorite I made for a “Battle of the Brussels sprouts” Test Kitchen MT & I did in 2022, when I used a balsamic vinegar and oil mix on oven-roasted sprouts.
I made these as part of a meal featuring glazed smoked porkchops for my visiting brother Joe last month, but decided to hold off writing about them until now because, like last week’s roasted cauliflower recipe, you may want to consider these if you are hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a seasonal vegetable that adds some green to the plate.
A little sherry vinegar and a little maple syrup really meld well with the flavors that caramelization in a skillet provides, as do the smoked almonds. The combination could even impress people who profess a dislike of what Joe and I as kids disparagingly dubbed “little cabbages.”
Starting in a cold skillet makes arranging the halved sprouts much easier, and the TV chefs said the EVOO assures more even browning, but to me the surprising thing was how so little maple syrup can add so much without becoming cloying.
A side note: This was an alternative suggested at the end of an America’s Test Kitchen episode that actually featured sprouts roasted the same way but flavored with chili, peanuts and mint. I had planned on trying that, but once I tracked down this variation online it appealed more.
Dobru chut!
Skillet roasted Brussels sprouts with maple and smoked almonds (America’s Test Kitchen)
About 2 cups sprouts, or as needed, trimmed and halved.
Extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup smoked almonds, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Salt to taste
Start in a cold skillet, placing sprouts cut side down. Add up to 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Put lid on skillet and cook 5 minutes over medium high heat. Remove lid and check for even browning on bottoms, rearranging if necessary. Cook 2-3 minutes more, uncovered.
Remove sprouts from heat and check for even browning, and for tenderness with knife. Mix syrup, vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Put roasted sprouts in serving dish. Add syrup/vinegar mix and stir to coat. Add almonds and serve.
