LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Why just wear green for St. Patrick’s Day when you can eat your greens as well?
Getting your kids to each veggies sometimes requires a little ‘luck of the Irish,’ and Denise Albert with Cooking in Bloom shows us a Brussels sprouts recipe in time for St. Patrick’s Day!
Ingredients:
- 2 lb. Brussels sprouts
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. freshly chopped thyme
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 c. shredded mozzarella
- ¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan
Denise’s Pesto
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Chop with hand chopper for chunky pesto, food processor for smoother. You can also use store-bought pesto.
Procedure:
- Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl
- Blanch Brussels sprouts: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until bright green and very tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add Brussels sprouts to ice bath to cool then drain.
- On a large baking sheet, toss blanched Brussels sprouts with oil, garlic, and thyme.
- Using the end of a small glass or mason jar, press down on Brussels sprouts to smash them into a flat patty.
- Season each smashed Brussels sprout with salt and pepper, brush with pesto, then sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
- Bake until bottoms of sprouts are crispy and cheese is melty and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Denise wanted to make a 'believer' out of Ashley King, who isn't a big fan of Brussels sprouts. Spoiler: Ashley really liked these!
If you don’t like Brussels sprouts, you can also try this technique with zucchini or another vegetable you like.
For more recipes from Denise, visit www.cookinginbloom.com and follow her on social media.