Brussels sprouts bud up at the intersection of the beefy center stalk and the branches and are a fun vegetable to grow, starting in the early spring and ending at the first frost. Even in my in-town garden, I grew plants that were 6 feet tall!. Although this member of the cabbage family got a bad reputation, probably, like rutabagas, because the offerings in the grocery stores were old and pungent, the vegetable has seen a remarkable resurgence in the past few years. Recipes that separate the leaves and stir fry them, or even shred them and dress them as a salad, have turned these humble little orbs into a glam side dish.

Here, I simply halved them, sprinkled them with olive oil and a little salt and roasted them in a 400-degree oven for about 8 minutes, turning them midway. We loved them plain, but I could imagine that a little Parmesan cheese on them, or adding a few drops of maple syrup would dress them up a bit.

Categories: CabbageTags: Roasted Brussels sprouts