Milk Street: Done well, roasted Brussels sprouts shine with a balance of sweet and savory. But nailing that perfect balance calls for a long stay in a hot oven. And even then, the results can disappoint. Pile too many sprouts in the pan and they steam, turning mushy and dull. Let them go too long and they get dry and bitter. We wanted better, more reliable results, and in much less time. We found an answer in the charred Brussels sprouts at Gjelina (chef Travis Lett’s Los Angeles restaurant). They get a rough, almost steak-like treatment. Using a cast-iron skillet allowed Lett to achieve in minutes what normally took us a half-hour or more in an oven. A well-seasoned cast-iron pan was key to this recipe, and to comfortably accommodate the sprouts, the pan needed to be at least 12 inches in diameter. Tossing the sprouts with oil and a little honey before cooking prevented them from drying out and toughening in the hot pan. Small and medium sprouts tasted better than large sprouts, which retain more bitter bite.
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Preheat: ° | Yield: 4 servings | |
Prep: 0:10 | Wait: 0:00 | Cook: 0:15 |