My husband, Doron, came up one day with this yummy side dish. Obviously, he did not invent it, but he put his spin on it with balsamic vinegar. So at home we refer to it as Daddy’s creation. When it just comes out of the oven, it’s very hard not to stand by the baking dish, and nibble on the crispy sprouts. By the time we are ready to sit down and eat, half the dish is gone. That’s how good it is.
There are two ways of making this dish: the yummier way, and the lazier way. There are no big differences in the preparation itself , except that it is easier to clean the covered baking sheet than the cast iron skillet, hence the lazy way. But for some reason, it comes out yummier when prepared in the cast iron skillet. Have your pick:
Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts cut in half
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Yummier way:
Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet on the stove. When oil is hot, arrange the Brussels sprouts, in the skillet, face down, in one layer. You may have to jam them in there, to get everything in the skillet. Add the garlic cloves, and sprinkle salt and pepper on top, but do not stir.
When the Brussels sprouts are browned on the bottom, transfer the skillet to the oven, and bake until the sprouts are soft but crispy, about 25-30 minutes.
Remove skillet from the oven (don’t burn yourself), and immediately drizzle the Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar. Toss well.
Lazier way:
Combine the Brussels sprouts with the garlic, oil and spices in a large bowl. Toss well to get the sprouts and garlic well covered in oil and spices.
Spread the sprouts face down, in one layer, on a baking sheet covered with tin foil.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes, stirring the Brussels sprouts occasionally, to get them brown and crispy.
Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Toss well.