No matter what we are serving for Christmas dinner, there is always a green vegetable side dish to accompany the entree. With a pasta main, we traditionally serve broccoli. (Here’s our favorite Christmas broccoli dish!) With other Christmas main dishes, we often opt for Brussels sprouts since they are readily available at this time of year. Roasting the sprouts is our preferred method of cooking them.
In this recipe, a zippy combination of lemon, garlic, and Dijon mustard brightens up the cruciferous gems that are then roasted over high heat. The capers crisp up in the oven and finish the dish off with a pop of texture and a hit of briny flavor. Classic ingredients and simple prep work make this an easy and uncomplicated dish to put together.
An added bonus of this recipe is the option to do most of the prep work ahead of time. The sprouts can be cut and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to a day ahead of the dinner. The lemon dressing can be assembled in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shaken to emulsify, and refrigerated for up to a week ahead of time. Allow the dressing to come to room temperature while the oven preheats and shake it well before adding it to the prepped sprouts. Then roast the sprouts, add the capers and roast a bit more, and serve!
Lemon Caper Brussels Sprouts
Lemon Caper Brussels Sprouts (adapted form cooking.nytimes.com) Total Time Required: 40 minutes, Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2-1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup capers, rinsed
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450º F. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into a large bowl. Cut the lemon in half crosswise and squeeze the juice from one half of it into the bowl. Reserve the other half for serving. Finely grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the olive oil and mustard and whisk until emulsified.
Make the dressing.
Add the brussels sprouts to a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, add the dressing to them and toss well to coat.
Add the dressing to the sprouts.
Transfer the sprouts to a rimmed sheet pan and arrange them in a single layer.
Transfer the dressed sprouts to a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast the sprouts for 15 minutes. Toss the sprouts and sprinkle the capers over them.
Add the capers to the roasted sprouts.
Continue to roast until the sprouts are crisp and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the sprouts to a serving bowl. Squeeze the juice from the reserved lemon half over the top and toss once more. Serve immediately.
Squeeze more lemon juice over the sprouts before serving.
Bright & lemony for Christmas dinner! ~Linda
Lemon Caper Brussels Sprouts (adapted form cooking.nytimes.com) Total Time Required: 40 minutes, Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2-1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup capers, rinsed
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450º F. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into a large bowl. Cut the lemon in half crosswise and squeeze the juice from one half of it into the bowl. Reserve the other half for serving. Finely grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the olive oil and mustard and whisk until emulsified.
Add the brussels sprouts to a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, add the dressing to them and toss well to coat. Transfer the sprouts to a rimmed sheet pan and arrange them in a single layer.
Roast the sprouts for 15 minutes. Toss the sprouts and sprinkle the capers over them. Continue to roast until the sprouts are crisp and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the sprouts to a serving bowl. Squeeze the juice from the reserved lemon half over the top and toss once more. Serve immediately.