Quite possibly the tastiest preparation for Brussels sprouts.
First, here’s how Brussels sprouts grow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in the field, but this is the next best thing.
Secondly, I was never a big sprouts fan until I was very introduced to this recipe and another with bacon and onions that I’d get out soon.
But these sprout leaf chips, wow! I never would’ve believed how good they were until I tried ‘em. Now, I’ll admit that peeling the sprout leaves takes a little patience, but it’s well worth the effort and what you’ll see here is probably the most efficient way to get it done. After that, it’s just mix, broil & enjoy!
Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 2-4 minutes
Ingredients
(for 2-4)
1 Pound Brussels Sprouts
2 Tablespoons Olive or Vegetable Oil
Dash of Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Equipment
Baking Pan
Aluminum Foil
Potholder or Folded Dishtowel
Strainer
Small Sharp Knife
Tablespoon
Bowl
1. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.
Make sure the oven rack is set 4-5 inches below the top of the oven, and turn on the oven to BROIL.
2. Rinse the Brussels sprouts in a strainer with cold tap water.
Use a sharp knife to remove the stem as shown to make peeling the sprout leaves easy.
Remove and discard the outer, tough, darker green leaves. Then carefully peel off as many of the larger leaves as possible, trying not to break them in the process, and put the leaves in a bowl (peeling sprout leaves from their base at the cut stem end of the sprout makes this easiest, though you can also cut the sprouts in half lengthwise if peeling is difficult). Save the small sprout bundle for another use after the larger leaves have been removed.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a dash of salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Stir with a tablespoon until the sprout leaves are all evenly coated with olive oil.
3. Pour and spread the sprout leaves on the baking pan evenly, without the leaves overlapping (you might have to make two or more batches depending on how many leaves you have and the size of the baking pan).
4. When the oven has reached broiling temperature, put the baking pan in the oven, and broil for 2-4 minutes (definitely keep an eye on the leaves in the broiler after 2 minutes to avoid burning them) until …
… the leaves start to brown about as shown here (the sprout leaves shown here were broiled for 3 minutes).
5. Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven with a potholder or folded dishtowel, and either scoop or pour the sprout chips off the aluminum foil and serve warm.
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Images courtesy of the author
These look great, Bruce!
I’ll tell you, I am a big fan of Brussels sprouts. They might be my favorite vegetable. I like to roast them whole or halved, tossed with just olive oil and salt, maybe a little balsamic vinegar. It takes longer than broiling the leaves to make them crisp, but you don’t have to peel the sprouts so it’s less work.
Gotta’ check that out! What temp and how long do you roast? I’ll get a picture recipe together – soon! Thanks, Bruce
It depends on how crowded the pan is, and how big the spouts are. Sometimes I roast them at a lower temp, at 350, for up to an hour. Shake them after half an hour for even browning. Give them a little squeeze to see if they’re done all the way through. You want them soft on the inside, with some bits on the outside that have browned. If they’re smaller, can raise temp to 400, have them done in 20 minutes.