These little baby cabbages, as my sous chef refers to them, are heavenly bites of savory-sweet goodness. I mean, seriously. You know how some people enjoy over-indulging in french fries, ice cream, Halloween candy, etc? I find it incredibly difficult to refrain from eating a pound of brussel sprouts – not just any brussel sprouts, my friends; these brussel sprouts – that’s right. Brussel sprouts doused in maple syrup, mustard-y, garlicky deliciousness. I remember the first time I made brussel sprouts for the sous chef. His initial reaction to the idea (yes, the idea, not to the finished product) was a bit on the disinterested side. And then when the little treasures were pan-seared in bacon fat, featuring yummy bits of bacon, caramelized onion & a balsamic glaze, he was sold. Like hot cakes at a county fair. If hot cakes were sold at county fairs (the sous chef politely informed me that that’s likely improbable)… but you get my drift. All of a sudden these delicious little nuggets were no longer “baby cabbages” – it was what he wanted for dinner. All the time. And friends, if I do say so myself (please don’t relay this to the brussel sprouts with bacon and caramelized onions – I don’t like to play favorites), but these puppies knock those babies out of the park. Don’t take my word for it – take these little maple-mustard, autumn treasures for a spin.
Pan-Sauteed Maple-Mustard Brussel Sprouts:
- 2 lbs. brussel sprouts
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- 1.5 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
Okie doke – first things first: remove the outer layers of the brussel sprouts until the leaves are clean and untarnished (I really have no better description for you than that – if anything is icky, just peel back the layers until the sprout is clean). Then slice the brussel sprouts into halves. You can quarter them if they’re just that large. It’s important to have very similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Then, in a bowl, mix the minced garlic, whole-grain and dijon mustard, cider vinegar and maple syrup. Whisk until incorporated and set aside.
Next, in a large saute pan add a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the brussel sprouts. Coat them with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Let them brown on all sides for about 10 to 15 minutes – or until they are almost cooked through while still maintaining a bit of a crunch (or texture, if you will – no one likes soggy brussel sprouts, right?). If the pan begins to dry out, simply add another tablepsoon of olive oil as needed.
Once they’ve reached this point, add the maple-mustard mixture to the pan and coat the brussel sprouts well.
Finish the brussel sprouts off for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce turns glaze-like. Remove from heat and enjoy!
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Pan-Sauteed Maple-Mustard Brussel Sprouts:
- 2 lbs. brussel sprouts
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- 1.5 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
Okie doke – first things first: remove the outer layers of the brussel sprouts until the leaves are clean and untarnished (I really have no better description for you than that – if anything is icky, just peel back the layers until the sprout is clean). Then slice the brussel sprouts into halves. You can quarter them if they’re just that large. It’s important to have very similar sized pieces so they cook evenly. Then, in a bowl, mix the minced garlic, whole-grain and dijon mustard, cider vinegar and maple syrup. Whisk until incorporated and set aside. Next, in a large saute pan add a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the brussel sprouts. Coat them with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Let them brown on all sides for about 10 to 15 minutes – or until they are almost cooked through while still maintaining a bit of a crunch (or texture, if you will – no one likes soggy brussel sprouts, right?). If the pan begins to dry out, simply add another tablepsoon of olive oil as needed. Once they’ve reached this point, add the maple-mustard mixture to the pan. Finish the brussel sprouts off for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce turns glaze-like. Remove from heat and enjoy!
