We live just north of Seattle, but we spent a weekend in the city back in December. During that weekend, we ate at Betty on Queen Anne and had a beautiful Brussels sprouts appetizer. It was absolutely delicious so naturally, I came home and recreated Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts with my own ideas.
At Betty, they deep fry the Brussels Sprouts. They aren't breaded, but they are super crsip and tasty! I decided to roast mine at a high heat to get that crispiness and char.
I cut most of them in half, but the larger ones in quarters. Don't neglect to gather up all the loose leaves that fall to the side when the stem end is cut. The smaller the pieces, the more crispy and charred they will end up!
Coat them with oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Bake them on a baking sheet in a single layer at 500 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. If you have really small pieces, it might take less time so keep an eye out!
But you DO want some nice dark charred pieces so don't take them out of the oven too soon!
The secret ingredient in Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts
While the Brussels sprouts are in the oven, toast some nuts! Can you guess what my choice is!?
Betty uses pistachios and I don't think they were toasted. But I inhaled them so quickly that I can't be sure! My favorite nut of all time is pecan and I think they go so well with Honey Mustard! They are buttery and so delicious! Hazelnuts would be amazing, too.
I love using a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When that toasty, buttery nuttiness starts smelling fragrant, watch for some browning on the nuts. Let them cool, then chop them small.
Honey mustard dressing
The dressing for the Brussels sprouts is simply three ingredients: honey, Dijon mustard, and rice wine vinegar. My dressing in the photo below looks really dark and it's because of the local knotweed honey that I used. The rice wine vinegar gives a brightness, but because it also tends towards sweetness, it doesn't give a swift kick in the pants that another vinegar might!
Depending on the thickness of the honey, it might take a bit of mixing to get everything incorporated. It will eventually happen, though, especially with the vinegar's help.
After the Brussels Sprouts are crispy and charred, take them from the oven and put them in a bowl large enough to toss with the honey mustard dressing. Add half of the pecans and mix them in, then put the remainder on top before serving.
If you know anyone who claims to dislike Brussels sprouts, I challenge you to have them taste these. The inherent bitterness of sprouts is totally displaced by the crispiness and the honey mustard sweetness ... MMMM! So good!
Other vegetable sides you might enjoy:
Recipe
Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to season
- ½ cup pecans
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1¼ teaspoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the Brussels sprouts by cutting them in half, reserving all the spare leaves that fall away. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread in one layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes until they are very crispy and dark.
- While the Brussels Sprouts are roasting, toast the pecans in a skillet over medium high heat until they are fragrant and slightly dark. Let them cool, then chop them small.
- Mix the honey, Dijon mustard, and rice wine vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
- When the Brussels sprouts are done, remove them from the baking sheet to a bowl large enough to toss them with the honey mustard. Pour the honey mustard over the roasted Brussels sprouts and toss to coat. Sprinkle half of the toasted pecans on top and stir to mix them in. Sprinkle the rest on top to serve.
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