Honey Stung~Brussel Sprouts with Grainy Mustard and Hazelnuts

” We kids feared many things in those days- werewolves, dentists, North Koreans, Sunday School-but they all paled in comparison with Brussel sprouts.”  Dave Barry, American author and columnist

We love brussel sprouts in our household and always look for new ways to enjoy them. Some of us(ahem) are recent converts to the now trendy cruciferous veggie, but others have loved them forever.  We all agree we like them best roasted, to get those great caramelized crispy bits.   Fellow blogger Chef Juliana brought in the New Year with this interesting recipe tossing the sprouts in honey and grainy mustard with walnuts after roasting them in a hot oven.  My version subs whole hazelnuts and a finishing drizzle of balsamic and more honey for a dynamic sweet and sour finish.  Fantastic!  A recipe sure to convert any sprout haters to the other side.  But you might not want to!

Honey~Stung Brussel Sprouts with Grainy Mustard and Toasted Hazelnuts

• Servings: 8
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10 cups Brussel sprouts, cored and halved

2 T olive oil

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

3 T grainy mustard such as Maille Old Style

3 T liquid honey and more to drizzle

2 T balsamic vinegar plus more to drizzle

1/2 c toasted hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Spread the sprouts in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.  Using your hands, coat them in olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with the salt and pepper.   Roast on the lower rack of the oven for 20 minutes, tossing them once to get even roasting.  They will get those gorgeous crispy browned edges that make them so hard to resist!

In a small bowl whisk the mustard, honey and balsamic together.  Transfer the sprouts to a rimmed serving platter(avoid a bowl so the sprouts don’t get soggy) and toss with the honey mixture.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle the platter with more honey and more balsamic to create a design.  Scatter the hazelnuts across the top right before serving.