Howdy, folks. Today we're kicking off "How To" week here on CityMama. I promised a tutorial every day this week and that's what you're going to get. If there is anything that I've written about that you have questions about and/or you'd like me to "show" you how to do it, please leave me a comment below. I don't pretend to be an expert, but I am pretty darn good at explaining things in an easy-to-understand way. And I promise to take lots of pictures. Which reminds me, my Sony a100 DSLR seems to have crapped out on me which is why recent pictures (taken with my point/shoot) may be even more mediocre than they usually are.
Last week we covered "Kitchen Gadgets Everyone Should Have." Granted, I am not a gadgety kinda girl, preferring to stick to tried-and-true kitchen basics (knives, graters, etc.), but there are some gadgets everyone should have either because they make a cook's job easier or they are just plain fun to use.
We're going to start this week off with a tutorial on how to make sweet and nutty Balsamic-roasted Brussels sprouts. It's perfect for Fall and if you practice now, these could even make an appearance on your Thanksgiving table. My entire family loves these cute little cabbages and this is one of my favorite ways to make them. I know you've heard this a thousand times before, but even if you think you don't like Brussels sprouts (because the only way you've ever eaten them is boiled to death--a truly stinky preparation!), you'll like this. I think you will like this. Okay, even if you don't you should at least try it. Here's how it's done.
BALSAMIC-ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Preheat oven to 400 deg. (If you have a convection oven, even better, preheat to 375 and reduce cooking time by about 10 minutes.) Wash and trim a pound of Brussels spouts by slicing off the dry stem and removing tough or dried-looking outer leaves. Cut sprouts in half and place on a baking tray:
Scatter about a teaspoon of sea salt over all (a pinch of sugar or squeeze of agave nectar is nice, too):
THEN sprinkle some balsamic vinegar over the sprouts (about a tablespoon). The vinegar will melt the salt which is why you add it before the olive oil.:
Drizzle on the extra-virgin olive oil (About two tablespoons'-worth, don't be shy):
Give the sprouts a good stir making sure they all get coated evenly. At this point you can also add in chopped garlic or finely minced shallot or red onion. Both would complement the Brussels sprouts well.:
And just because I am anal (and because I love it when the flat part of the sprout goes all brown and caramel-y), I turn them all flat-side down before putting them in the oven:
After about 10-15 minutes, especially in a convection oven like I have, they get nicely browned as in the picture below. This is a good thing. Give the pan a shake and stir the sprouts around and let them go about 10-15 minutes more being careful not to burn them.:
Remove them from the oven, dump them into a bowl, season with a little salt and freshly ground pepper, and devour. These could be a meal on their own. Why not?
Enjoy!
