Honey-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Harissa and Lemon Relish

Honey-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Harissa and Lemon Relish

Roasting brussels sprouts may be the best and most delicious way to prepare them. Exposed to high heat, they caramelize and become very crispy (even more so when tossed in a sticky and spicy honey-harissa mixture before roasting). Here, they're finished with a slightly bitter and wonderfully tart lemon relish to bring them back from the brink of too much  sweetness.

Brussels sprouts, along with kale, cauliflower and broccoli, are members of the Brassica family. They grow as tiny cabbagelike buds on a large inedible stalk

When buying brussels sprouts, look for tightly closed, green leaves; any signs of yellowing mean they are most likely past their prime. They should give off an earthy, almost herbaceous aroma. The buds shouldn’t smell cabbage-y.

They grow larger as the season progresses, appearing small and delicate at the beginning of fall, but one size generally fits all. Buy 1½ pounds of untrimmed brussels sprouts to feed four to six people (depending on what else is on the menu).

If you’re charmed by the ones on the stalk at the farmers’ market (a true oddity if you’ve never seen them), know that their yield may be smaller than you hoped for, and plan accordingly.

To clean them, trim the ends and rinse in a large bowl of cold water. Brussels sprouts aren’t an especially dirty vegetable, but any dust or sediment should float to the bottom. Transfer to a colander and pat dry before storing them in a resealable bag.

Store them in the crisper or vegetable drawer of the refrigerator, where they can stay fresh for up to a week and a half.

Raw

While we don’t frequently see brussels sprouts prepared raw, their peppery leaves can give kale a run for its money.

·  Basic Method

Raw brussels sprouts leaves can be a little tough, so it’s best to soften them before turning them into a salad. This can be done two ways: massaging the leaves with a bit of salt to help them break down, or thinly slicing them for more of a shredded slaw.

For the massaging technique, you’ll be using the sprouts’ whole leaves. The darker green ones are easily separated by trimming the core and letting them fall away. This is no doubt time-consuming, but it’s worth it for those adorable little leaves.

Trim the stem off the sprouts and halve them lengthwise. The leaves should start to fall away naturally. Once they become stubborn, trim the stem further. (The closer you get to the core, the tighter the leaves become, and the more annoying they are to remove.) Eventually, you’ll have a tiny, pale yellow core, which may not be ideal for salads, but are great roasted or pickled for your next Bloody Mary bar.

You can also thinly slice the entire sprout, which will result in more of a slaw but is still delicious and decidedly less labor intensive. To prevent the sprouts from rolling around the cutting board, halve them lengthwise and lay them cut side down before thinly slicing.

To Serve

Raw brussels sprouts love a dressing with fatty and assertive flavors. Choose ingredients that deliver both, like anchovies, grated cheeses and finely chopped nuts. Lots of olive oil is a must.

To make sure the leaves are softened and properly seasoned, give them a good massage before adding anything else. For balance, include something sweet (crisp apples, ripe pears or dried fruit) and 

something fresh (shaved raw fennel, lemon juice and plenty of fresh herbs).

The salad pictured above combines brussels sprouts leaves, apple, fennel, walnuts and some garlic, before finishing them off with fresh flavors from mint and parsley.