Kung Pao Brussel Sprouts.
A love letter to Brussel Sprouts:
For some reason brussel sprouts get a bad rap. Too often my clients tell me how much they hate brussel sprouts. I’m told they’re stinky, mushy, and unflavorful. But perhaps we have a picky society to blame for this and not the humble sprout themselves. My response to all this sprout hatred is that everyone is cooking them wrong! When cooked and seasoned properly, the brussel sprout can transform into anything you want it to. Candy? Sure! Roast with honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup and bam, you’ve got yourself some candied brussel sprouts. Salty chips? Yep! Coat them with lots of oil and salt, then air fry or deep fry until super crispy. Forget kale chips, these are way better. Give brussel sprouts a chance and I promise they will make a believer out of anyone.
I love nothing more than taking a vegetable and turning it into something so filling and satisfying someone inevitably asks, “Is there meat in this?” This recipe does just that. We are all familiar with kung pao chicken, so why limit it to just chicken? Here we’ve taken our favorite kung pao sauce and tossed it with some very crispy brussel sprouts. Don’t limit this recipe as just a “side dish,” give it a chance to hold its own for any weeknight dinner and make a believer out of any brussel sprout denier.
Don’t be alarmed by the hot oven temperature in this recipe. These sprouts need very high heat to brown and caramelize. If you think your sprouts are burning, chances are they are not. If they are actually burning, it might be because your oven is not calibrated and running hotter than it should. No big deal! Just turn the heat down 25° or so.
Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
2-3 tablespoons chili garlic paste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, or brown sugar
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Place two sheet pans in the oven, then preheat oven to 450° Convection Roast or 475° Bake.
2. In a large bowl, toss brussel sprouts with 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Carefully distribute brussel sprouts on the hot sheet pans, cut side down. Roast until tender (but not mushy) and really browned, about 12-15 minutes (time will vary on the size of your brussel sprouts).
3. While brussel sprouts roast, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, heat remaining 2 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chili garlic paste and cook until darkened, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, vinegar, and 1/2 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in cornstarch slurry. Stirring constantly, simmer until sauce becomes thick and coats the back of a spoon. Let cool slightly.
4. When ready to serve, toss brussel sprouts with sauce and top with peanuts. Serve immediately.
*Oyster sauce is worth having in your everyday pantry. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like fish. If you’ve ever wondered why your stir-fry doesn’t taste like takeout, it’s probably because you’re not using oyster sauce.