Maple-Mustard Glazed Roasted Brussel Sprouts

(This post is another response to Cathy Elton's Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge at her blog What Would Cathy Eat? )

I grew up hating brussels sprouts...no, that isn't quite right. I grew up loathing brussels sprouts. They were nasty little mushy baby cabbages that were foisted upon me and my siblings as small children. "They're good for you," my mother insisted, with all the love and good intentions in the world. (Bless her.)

And it was not the usual, or stereotypical, case of "the kid hates veggies!" because at the same time I loved broccoli and corn and spinach. Yes, that nasty lump of stuff that came frozen in a block in the 1970's - remember? That pile of nasty, mushy stuff I loved. Go figure. (Disliked asparagus, though. Still do.) Most likely it had to do with the bitterness of the sprouts, whereas spinach was sweeter by comparison.

The strange thing was, one day they suddenly disappeared from the table. I never could quite figure that one out: they were "good for me" when I was 7, but all of the sudden not so much when I was 8? Not that I ever asked the question aloud; heaven forbid I should jinx myself or my mother had simply forgotten them. Whatever the reason, I was grateful, and I managed to successfully avoid them lo these many years.

Last year they made a comeback (of sorts) in my life: as a member of the volunteer produce team at Fiddleheads Co-op in New London, I found myself staring down shipments of organic specimens just about this time of the year. "I hate brussels sprouts" I declared with the definitive arrogance of the closed-minded. "Try them roasted" other members of the co-op insisted, "you'll fall in love with them. Perhaps with a balsamic vinegar glaze, or...."

As yummy as it sounded, I resisted - until my sweetie forced the issue and brought some home at the co-op. Oh, dear. She steamed the first batch. I generously suggested she eat all of them up, sacrificing spouse that I am. *ahem* Then less generously I reminded her that "I don't eat that stuff."

She brought home a second batch. Bless her. Time to try roasting them.

At this point I had already roasted (and grilled) kale chips and all manner of green things, so when I looked up some recipes online, I found the technique was quite similar: rub with olive oil, salt and pepper, baked in oven, sit back and enjoy the compliments. Cathy Elton has a recipe with a fabulous-sounding maple-mustard glaze, but she roasts them whole and so the cooking time was too long, 40-50 minutes. I need mine done in under 25 for dinner. So I checked out a website Cathy has linked to, Leafy Greens and Me, and found a maple-glazed variation in which the sprouts are cut in halves or quarters to speed the cooking time to about 15 minutes. Perfect...except that the glaze consisted entirely of maple syrup, after having roasted the veggies with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.

So I smashed the two recipes together, added a twist of my own - cayenne pepper - and gave it a go. At dinner that night my sweetie paused just long enough from gobbling them up to tell me how good they were, whilst I was busy on the other side of the table...scarfing down my portion. My self-sacrificing nature disappeared in the irresistable onslaught of deliciousness, and there were no leftovers to be had.

Consider me a convert.

MAPLE-MUSTARD GLAZED ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUT

(The glaze recipe below made enough for two different batches.)

1/2 lb (approx.) fresh organic brussels sprouts, stem ends pared and halved or quartered

(smallest ones left whole)

4 T olive oil

sea salt and black pepper (pref. freshly cracked) to taste

1/4 tea or generous dash of cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)

1/4 Grade B maple syrup

stoneground mustard (coarsely-ground) to taste (about 1 T)

1 T olive oil

juice of 1/4 freshly squeezed lemon

1/4 medium-sized onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F); lightly oil a baking tray. Trim and half or quarter, depending on size, about 1/2 lb organic brussels sprouts (leave smallest ones whole). Toss in a bowl with olive oil to coat, then sprinkle with the salt pepper and cayenne. If any leaves came off the sprouts during the trimming process, add them to the bowl.

Spread sprouts on tray, place on rack in center of over and bake for 10-15 minutes or until fork-tender and slightly crisp on the outer leaves; turn 2-3 times during cooking process to bake evenly. (Any loose leaves tend to cook quickest and become tasty little miniature chips.)

In the meantime combine remaining ingredients for the glaze, emulsify until thoroughly blended and opaque. When sprouts are tender, remove from oven and turn temperature down to 375 degrees. Pour enough glaze over the sprouts to coat thoroughly when tossed on tray (save the remainder for another use). Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serves two.

Variation: Try freshly-chopped hot pepper in place of the cayenne.