A few weeks ago, my sister sent me a (late-night) text message asking me to come up with a recipe for crispy honey or teriyaki Brussels sprouts. Happily, about a week before that, I’d had dinner with a friend at a restaurant downtown which had crispy sprouts on its menu. They paired theirs with a savory, bleu-cheesy sauce that was actually quite good, but what I really learned from them was how to make Brussels sprouts crispy. When my order arrived, the Brussels sprouts were tiny, tender, and perfectly cooked, but these little cores came surrounding in a bowl of their own leaves, oven-roasted and crisped to a deep, delicate brown. Peeling the individual leaves off the Brussels sprouts and roasting them with their inner cores seems to be the trick to adding a little bit of crunchiness. I think this is the thing my sister’s hankering for, so I hope it works.
Happily, this month’s Recipe Redux theme was coming up with a recipe using either honey or molasses. It’s a lucky thing, too, because it took me kind of awhile to hit the right combination of ingredients on this one. My first trial was a combination of honey and balsamic vinegar, making a glaze that was way to sweet (although I think if you went with a straight balsamic glaze, it’d be a winner). Using just honey wasn’t going to work, but pairing honey with a not-too-sweet white wine reduction turned out perfect. We had buckwheat honey in our cupboard, and I thought a nice earthy sauvignon blanc would be a good fit, though a pinot grigio would also work. A chardonnay, which I find usually has a little more oomph, would pair nicely with regular honey.
Crispy honey & wine roasted Brussels sprouts
Ingredients
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 Tablespoons of buckwheat honey
Steps
1) Preheat the oven to 450-degrees. Cut off the woody stem off the bottom of each Brussels sprout. Peel the individual leaves off the core of the sprout (they should come off fairly easily), cutting off more woody stem as it is revealed. Separate the leaves and the core in two colanders, then wash thoroughly.
2) Spread the Brussels sprout cores in a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and lightly salt. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice with a wooden spoon to ensure they don’t burn.
3) Meanwhile, simmer the white wine in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce until the wine it measures about 1/4 cup.
4) Toss the washed sprout leaves with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Add the leaves to the rimmed baking sheet and return to the oven. Continue to roast for another 15 minutes. Check every 5 minutes and stir. The Brussels sprouts are done when the cores are tender but the leaves have browned and crisped. Remove from the oven and set aside.
5) Add the honey to the simmering wine reduction. Then stir in the Brussels sprouts to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
Ooh! Good idea! I love brussels sprouts and they seem to be getting more popular. Never added maple syrup to them though- thanks for sharing!
They definitely were popular this winter! And nixing the bacon certainly helps with the redux side of things.
I like the sound of this! Big fan of Brussles sprouts but need to find tasty ways of preparing them for the more picky eaters in my house
Thanks Nina – hope this helps! Enjoy!
I love Brussels Sprouts! These look an sound so yummy! I’ll definitely be giving them a try.
Oh man, I’ve only made Brussels sprouts once, and they did NOT come out as crispy or beautiful as yours. These look awesome, thanks! PS I tried your sweet potato quesadilla last weekend, and it was delicious!
Thanks Amber & windykitchen.
I’m glad you liked the sweet potato quesadilla, too. I think that’s making its way into our keeper file.
I love reading the background of where your recipes come from and you sharing your trails as you perfect! Never thought to do a wine/honey combo for Brussels sprouts – I’ve just recently started to like them so now I have a new recipe to try!
I’ve never tried roasting brussels sprouts with wine. I like your style!
Thanks Deanna & Becky –
I’m kinda glad I had a few weeks to work on this… but if you like things sweeter, feel free to go with some balsamic mixed in.
Love hearing about the kitchen trial and error! So interesting. I’ve been craving sprouts…will have to run and buy before they’re out of season and try this!!
I finally like Brussels sprouts and am always trying to find recipes to convince the rest of my family the same! This looks like it could be it. Thanks!
I’ve roasted brussel sprouts in the oven before, but did not do the cores separate from the outer leaves. Like your approach, as well as the wine reduction sauce. Will give your recipe a try.
I love roasted brussel sprouts. I have roasted them in the past but have not roasted the core separate from the outer leaves. Like your approach, as well as the wine reduction sauce. Definitely going to try your recipe next time I roast brussel sprouts.
the wine reduction is a wonderful idea! can’t wait to give it a try. bet it plays nicely with the sweetness of the honey!