Crispy Roasted Asian Brussels Sprouts

I remember as a kid, Brussels sprouts were among the least desirable vegetables with my peers - right up there with spinach and broccoli (though I liked them fine steamed and sprinkled with garlic salt).  But in 2018, when green juice is a thing people willingly consume and a bitter leafy green like kale is practically a fashion item, Brussels sprouts have found their place in the spotlight.  Somewhere along the way, we realized that like almost anything else, adding texture, salt, and sweetness makes them irresistible.

Most steakhouses and high-end tapas places by now offer their take on crispy Brussels sprouts, and that's probably because there's about a million ways to make them great.  Cheese, bacon, maple - all these flavors work great with the verdant flavor of the sprouts and pair perfectly with the crisp texture. 

If you know me, though, you'll know that Asian flavors are my first instinct for pretty much any dish, so I set out to make sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy version of this dish.  The Baker Mama's recipe provided the foundation for my recipe, but I made a few key tweaks.  Their sprouts roast at 400° for about an hour, but my stomach was in no mood to wait that long, so I cranked my oven up to 500° and got it done in about 12 minutes.  I also swapped some of the sweet and spicy components and added sesame oil, because it's very rare that a dish isn't better with that in the mix.  The result was a dish I'm already looking forward to making again.

Crispy Roasted Asian Brussels Sprouts
1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, washed and cut in half
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
Juice of 1/2 a small lemon
1 tsp mirin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp doubanjiang or sambal oelek
1 tsp sesame oil

Preheat oven to 500° F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread Brussels sprouts onto sheet.  Drizzle olive oil on top, and mix sprouts with hands to ensure they're fully coated.

When the oven is hot, place the baking sheet inside and set a timer for 7 minutes.  While sprouts are roasting, add remaining ingredients to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, until sauce bubbles gently.  Allow to reduce, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduced by about half.  Remove from heat and set aside.

When the timer goes off, flip Brussels sprouts and return to oven for an additional 5 minutes.  Sprouts should be crispy and slightly blackened on the outside without being overly burnt.  Remove from oven and add to bowl, then drizzle with sauce (you may have extra sauce).  Serve immediately while sprouts are still crispy.