Many sprout recipes claim to be able to convert sprout-haters. Not so, they are a lost cause and not worth wasting your Brussels on. The vinaigrette dressing on this unusual sprout dish makes this more like a warm salad and it would be particularly nice with some cold roast turkey.
Roast Brussels sprouts with hazelnuts – serves 6 as a side dish
- 50g hazelnuts
- 450g Brussels sprouts, halved lengthways
- 60ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ a red onion, very finely diced
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for about 8 minutes. Tip into a clean tea towel and give them a good rub – the skins should come off easily. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside.
Toss the sprouts with 1 tbsp of olive oil, some salt and black pepper. Tip onto a baking tray and roast for 20 to 30 minutes. or until tender and starting to turn crispy at the edges. Give them a shake half way through if you remember.
Whisk the remaining olive oil (45ml) with the lemon juice, mustard and onion and season to taste.
Toss the dressing with the roasted sprouts and hazelnuts and serve warm.
(Original recipe from Neil Perry’s Good Cooking, Murdoch Books, 2016.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 
Love sprouts now, Jono and Jules, but when they sat on my plate, little steamed lumps, they were terrible. It’s like cabbage (the relative of Brussel Sprouts). You have to dress them up. Or shred them and toss them into stews. Lovely.
Yes, they have definitely not been given a fair trial. Glad to hear you can appreciate them now. J&J