Roasted Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Kick your Brussels sprouts in the butt with this decadent (but easy!) gratin.
Brussels sprouts are on the bitter side. To counter that, it’s a great idea to add fat and salt. The fat makes it harder for your taste buds to detect the bitterness. The salt balances the bitter.
In this gratin, the fat is in the form of olive oil, heavy cream and cheddar cheese. The salt is from the, well, salt. Kosher salt that you toss the sprouts with before roasting them.
Yes, that’s right, you roast the Brussels sprouts for this recipe. Don’t worry. It ‘s easy. You mix them together with salt and olive oil in a casserole dish. Roast until they’re tender. Then you add the cream and top with cheddary breadcrumbs before baking a bit longer.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Total Time: 50 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. medium-sized Brussels sprouts
- 2 Tbsps. olive oil, divided
- kosher salt
- coarse black pepper
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, tightly packed
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ cup heavy cream
- a pinch of nutmeg
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Trim the bottom stem nub off of the Brussels sprouts and cut them all in half. Put the sprouts in a gratin dish or casserole dish that is wide enough that the sprouts are only one or two deep. Oh, and be sure to include any little leaves that fell off in the trimming process since these will get nice and crispy and extra delicious when roasted.
- Toss the sprouts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of coarse black pepper. Roast in the oven until they're starting to get nice and brown but are still a bit al dente when pricked with a fork, 25-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile combine the panko, cheddar, garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Use your fingers to get in there and mix it, crumbling as you go so that the cheese breaks up into smaller bits and really mixes into the crumbs. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and mix up the crumbs again.
- Measure the heavy cream into a measuring cup and then stir in the nutmeg. Drizzle the cream over the roasted sprouts and then stir them up a bit to get them all evenly coated. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly on top and then return the dish to the oven until the crumbs are browned, 15-20 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
