Brussels sprouts unadulterated, charred in a Dutch oven to a tender crisp in extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with only salt and pepper. Simply delicious!
Brussels sprouts should be charred on the outside and tender on the inside. It's just the way they were meant to be. Sure, they're great with bacon and doused in Hollandaise, but if they're not done right to begin with, you're missing out on their full flavor potential.
So this is a very simple tutorial on how to char Brussels sprouts to perfection. You'll need a Dutch oven or a cast iron skillet, some extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Charring brings out all the sweet, caramel-y savory goodness of this amazing vegetable. Brussels sprouts done this way can easily be built upon to invite other flavors like pancetta, lime zest, and figs to complement your dish. And you'll never go back to whatever you were doing before. Read on for the recipe.
The Recipe
LFG Charred Brussels Sprouts
1 lb Brussels Sprouts
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 t Salt
1/4 t Pepper
Instructions:
Step 1: Cut the Brussels Sprouts in Half
Shave any unsightly dry ends off the stems, but not too much as stems keep the Brussels sprouts intact. Cut the sprouts in half from stem to top as shown.
Step 2: Char the Brussels Sprouts
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet on high heat. Drop all the Brussels sprouts in. Cover for 1 minute. With oven mitts, give the pan a good shake to flip the sprouts. Let cook another minute covered. Next, lift the cover to check the char. At this point you should see a lot of nice dark brown color. If they don't look quite dark enough like the picture, repeat the process. Once you are satisfied with the char, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 more minutes until tender.
Before the 5 minutes on low heat, you can add to the charred Brussels sprouts if you'd like. Pancetta, figs, lime zest, are all yummy. Ladle them with Hollandaise, too, or get creative. Chill them, too, and use them in salads. When you have perfectly charred Brussels sprouts, the possibilities are endless.
That's all there is to it. So with this recipe being so short and easy, I'm providing a little bonus entertainment. A Lectin Free Gourmet haiku! Watch the video!