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Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasting these healthy green jewels is the best way to cook them, not only for excellent flavor, but to keep in all the precious nutrients!

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 lb Brussels sprouts
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Kosher or sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Move an oven rack to the lower middle position & preheat oven to 400°.

2. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil & lightly grease with EVOO.

3. Remove any browning outer leaves, thinly trim stems & slice in half lengthwise.

4. Place in a 2.5 quart bowl & drizzle with 1 Tblsp EVOO. Toss till they’re well coated, add more oil sparingly, if needed.

5. Spread them out on the baking sheet, cut side down, arranging similar sizes together (see Tip# 1). Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

6. Roast 20 – 30 minutes, turning them over 1/2 way through (see Tip# 3). When done, they should be fork-tender & caramelized in spots. Cooking times will vary depending on their size & you may need to remove smaller ones as they become done.

7. Remove sheet from oven & serve immediately or transfer to a plate to cool.

8. If you want to cook more than 1 lb at a time; wipe foil with a damp paper towel & repeat procedure as many times as you like (see Tips# 4 & 6).

Tips & Suggestions

1. Arranging similar sizes together makes it easier to remove smaller ones if they’re done first.

2. I generally season all my roasted vegetables with just EVOO, salt & pepper. Occasionally, at step# 4, I’ll add an herb or a spice like dried thyme or granulated garlic depending on the particular vegetable & the dish I’ll be serving it with. You could also add, at step# 5, a small amount of crushed red pepper or sprinkle on a little fresh squeezed lemon juice or even use parmesan cheese. There’s really no limit to how you can customize roasted vegetables to your liking… the only thing required is your imagination!

3. Ovens tend to be hotter in the back, so once you turn them over, turn the pan around when you return it to the oven.

4. Some times I’ll spend one morning roasting a variety of veggies, using the same baking sheets & foil. Then I’ll freeze them for later use. It saves a lot of money using the same foil over & over again and in the long run it saves a lot of time.

5. If you’re cooking this ahead of time to freeze or if you have leftovers:
    a. Let cool to room temperature.
    b. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months.
    c. If you’re planning to use within a couple of days, store container(s) in the refrigerator.

6. If you have 2 baking sheets you can bake more vegetables at the same time on different levels, swapping their positions halfway through baking time.