Several years ago when I was visiting family in Southern California, my sister-in-law and I went to lunch at the Lazy Dog Restaurant. We ordered their Brussels Sprouts and they were amazing! Since the ingredients were listed right on the menu, I came home and recreated the dish with a couple of my own twists. I arrived very happily at Charred Lemon Caper Brussels Sprouts.
Depending on the size of your Brussels sprouts, you might need to cut them in half at least, if not in quarters. One of the points of this recipe is that the Brussels sprouts get charred and if they are too big, there's less of a chance of proper charring and more chance of steaming.
Put the cut Brussels sprouts in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Layer them on a baking sheet in one layer. Of course, you can use a baking sheet, but you can, of course, use a cast iron pan or any other oven-proof baking dish.
While they roast ...
While the sprouts are roasting, make the sauce. Put the butter over very low heat to melt. Once it's melted, add the chopped garlic and let it sit in the melted butter for about five minutes, still over low heat. You're just looking to flavor the butter with the garlic.
Then add the capers and lemon juice and put back over low heat just to heat through, about two minutes.
What are capers?
Capers are actually flower buds that come from a perennial bush in Mediterranean climates. They are bitter straight from the bush, but after they are pickled, they are delicious! So using them in recipes adds both acidity and saltiness.
How to assemble the finished dish
When the Brussels sprouts are done, they will have some decidedly dark charring. At this point it's up to you on whether you allow them to char more or not. The broiler is handy with this last minute "almost-burn-it" step, but keep a close watch on it! The errant leaves that come off when you cut the sprouts have a tendency to go up in smoke!
When the sprouts are charred to your liking, coat them with the lemon caper butter sauce. And the final touch to the Charred Lemon Caper Sprouts ... is a grating of Parmesan cheese! So delicious.
Recipe
Charred Lemon Caper Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts cut in half or quarters
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic crushed with a chef's knife and chopped small
- ½ cup capers
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F.
- Toss the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, then spread them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet. No parchment paper needed in a cast-iron skillet.
- Roast for 30 minutes until they are well-charred. Use the broiler at the last minute, if needed.
- While they roast, melt the butter over low heat, then add the garlic. Let it sit over low heat for 5 minutes to flavor the butter. Add the capers and lemon juice and allow it all to heat till warm.
- When the Brussels sprouts are done, cover them with the lemon caper sauce.
- Grate fresh Parmesan over the top and serve it up pronto.
Carla Armijo
I absolute love these at Lazy Dog! Just made them with fresh lemon juice 100%amazing!
These will be a staple in my home
Tammy Circeo
So glad you like them!
Kristin
Has anyone tried making these on the grill? My family won’t let me cook brussels sprouts in the house!
Tammy Circeo
I've not tried on the grill, but I think it could work. You could use a grill pan (just use larger capers so they don't fall through the holes!) or you could also use the burner on a gas grill or put a cast iron skillet right on the grill.
diane Cardoza
Hi! Do you have any suggestions on how to make these ahead of time because I need to travel to another house for Thanksgiving?
Tammy Circeo
I'm so sorry not to respond in time for Thanksgiving this year! I think they could be made ahead and kept warm for transport.
Tanya
So I’ve actually tried this two ways with lemon juice in a bottle and with squeezed lemon juice. I prefer lemon juice in the bottle as the lemon taste isn’t as over bearing. I made this for a friends giving party about 6lbs of Brussel sprouts and there wasn’t any left! Such a great recipe! Thanks for sharing it was delicious!!
Tammy Circeo
Six pounds of sprouts! Wow! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Jana Lundh
I just had these at Lazy Dog last night, and they never disappoint! Such a delish dish! Can't wait to replicate them at home. Thank you for the recipe!
Tammy Circeo
I hope this lives up to your expectations!
Felipa
Yummy! Even better than the original!
Tammy Circeo
Thank you, Felipa! Homemade is often better, right?!
Lou
Thank you for posting this! This is my favorite dish from that restaurant and I was looking to recreate it at home. It turned out just as good, especially using real parmigiano-reggiano to finish it off. The one thing missing was the rustic croutons they add to the dish, but that might have been something they added to the recipe sometime after you ate there. I'm trying to cut carbs so I didn't mind at all but either way, super tasty, and you can always cube some older bread you have laying around and throw it in the oven with some olive oil if the croutons sound good to you.
Tammy Circeo
You are so welcome! I do hope you enjoy it!