The Chinese New Year and the cold winter weather makes it a perfect opportunity to try out this revamped, “in season” winter veggie.
Brussels sprouts made their way back onto the foodie scene a few years ago, and rightly so—this tiny cabbage can definitely pack a punch!
You can find brussels sprouts throughout the year at farm-to-table grocery stores and farmers markets, but PEAK season is September through mid-February. When selecting your sprouts, smaller is better; the smaller the sprout, the sweeter the taste. They should be firm, have tight layers and have minimal nicks
Speaking of “in season”, the Chinese New Year will be celebrating the year of the rat (2020) from January 17th to February 8th! Since Gwinnett is one big sandbox where everyone can play and dig into the fun of other cultures, we wanted to put a quick Asian twist on our brussel sprout dish for you guys.
SWEET AND SPICY, CRISPY ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS:
1 lb. brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Salt/pepper to taste
2-3 Tbsp. Asian sweet chili sauce
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Rinse brussels sprouts, trim stems and half each.
On a baking sheet, toss the brussels sprouts in olive oil to coat evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, tossing them halfway so they cook evenly. Remove brussels sprouts from the oven and turn on the oven broiler, set to high with the oven rack positioned in the top third of the oven.
Pour sweet chili sauce over the brussels sprouts, tossing to coat evenly. Broil the brussels sprouts for 5 minutes or until the sugar in the chili sauce is bubbling and caramelizing. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn! Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
*The crispy leaves that fall off during tossing are the best part!