Of Veggies and Willpower

There is a story from my childhood about me and brussels sprouts.  My mother made them for supper one night; I was 5 or 6 years old.  When I saw them on my plate I was less than entranced.  In fact, I refused to try even a bite of the dreaded (and dreadful smelling) vegetable.  My mother induced me to give them a bite with the bright exclamation that , "they look like mini-cabbages."  But I didn't like cabbage either and so I was unpersuaded.  A few hours later, I was allowed to leave the table.  No sprouts had left my plate.

I was a strong-willed child.

As an adult, I learned to make an amazing silken cheese sauce.  I came to really enjoy brussels sprouts when they were served in cheese sauce.  A few years back, right around Thanksgiving, there was an NPR interview with Mollie Katzen, an amazing vegetarian cook whose cookbooks I enjoy.  She talked about making roasted brussels sprouts.  It sounded quite promising.  I've been roasting sprouts ever since.

It's easy to do and oh-so-yummy.   The details:

1 pound of brussels sprouts, washed and halved or quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and then cover the foil with the olive oil.  Place the sprouts cut-side-down on the foil.  Place the sheet of sprouts on the center rack in the oven.  Roast for 10 minutes.

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and re-shuffle the sprouts, so that more of the sprout surface will touch the hot oil.  Don't worry if a few leaves come loose.  Just let 'em be.  Place the pan back in the oven for 5 more minutes.

Remove and leave on the pan; they will roast a few more minutes from the residual heat.  Add some salt to taste and serve.  They are tasty hot but can also be served at room temperature.

My parents will note with satisfaction that my 9 year old turns his nose up at the idea of such fare.  He won't even look at them on the table, not even when I brightly announce that "they look like mini cabbages." 

Whatever.  That leaves more for me.