By Hot now. Not summer-hot yet but the kind of May heat that arrives early and stays late in Alabama, the sun assertive by eight in the morning. The daycare has a small yard with one big oak tree and we have started doing all outdoor activities in the oak shade. Mia has gotten over her orange food phase and is now obsessed with grapes, which she calls balls, and demands at snack time with great authority.
I have been trying to learn to make glazed carrots because I think if I can make vegetables taste interesting I will eat more of them. Gloria says vegetables should not have to work too hard to be good, which is her way of saying she does not believe in covering food up. But she also glazes sweet potatoes with butter and brown sugar so I think there is room for nuance.
My carrots this week: roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of honey in the last five minutes. They came out caramelized at the edges and sweet in a way that felt earned rather than added. I ate them standing over the baking sheet because I could not wait. That is always a good sign.
On Sunday Gloria and I made her bread pudding, which is a once-a-month thing in summer because it uses up the bread that goes stale faster in the heat. She has a pan that is thirty years old, seasoned with use, and the pudding comes out of it with caramelized edges that I have never managed in any other pan. She let me mix the custard myself while she watched. Eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla, a little cinnamon, nutmeg. Then you pour it over the torn bread and let it soak before baking. Patience is the technique, she said. I am always learning that the technique is patience.
Those honey-roasted carrots I ate standing over the baking sheet made me want to keep going with this whole roasted-vegetable thing, so I turned to Brussels sprouts next. Gloria would say they don’t need the honey either—and she’s probably right—but I’m still learning what I like, and what I like is a little caramelization at the edges and something that tastes like it was worth making. This salad gave me that same feeling: simple enough to trust, good enough that I went back for more before it had properly cooled.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or leave it bare for better browning.
- Season the sprouts. Toss the halved Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them cut-side down in a single layer on the baking sheet—don’t crowd them or they’ll steam instead of roast.
- Roast until caramelized. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the cut sides are deep golden and the outer leaves are crispy at the edges. In the last 3 minutes, drizzle the honey evenly over the pan and return to the oven to let it caramelize.
- Make the dressing. While the sprouts roast, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl until combined.
- Assemble. Transfer the warm roasted sprouts to a serving bowl. Add the shallot, cranberries, and pecans. Drizzle the dressing over everything and toss gently to coat.
- Finish and serve. Top with shaved Parmesan if using. Serve warm or at room temperature—it holds up well either way.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 220 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 280mg