Growing up I couldn’t stand Brussels Sprouts, though that being said, I don’t know a child who ever reminisced about their mothers Brussels. Not until the discovery of oven roasting could I truly appreciate the depth of flavor and sweetness these little cabbages could offer.. A few years back when the Tomahawk Steak first started to blow up, I began thinking about what other huge statement pieces I could grill. At the same time I was working on a farm for a season and when late summer rolled around I saw these tall, handsome stalks of Brussels Sprouts lined up and I thought, “This could be really. really good”. Simply put, yes, they are amazing. You have that intense, sweet brassica flavor but with an added depth of smoke and char.
Grilling whole Brussels on the stalk isn't only delicious and fun, but also very efficient. The stalks hold each sprout in place while they become deeply caramelized and keep them from rolling all over on the grill. When they are fully cooked, you carve them off of their stalk with like meat off a bone.
Wood Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Shallots + Almonds
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 Stalks of Brussels Sprouts
1 Shallot, peeled + Thinly sliced
1/2 Cup Roasted Almonds, roughly chopped
2 bunches Italian Parsley, rinsed and roughly chopped
Olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Directions:
Using a either a hardwood or charcoal grill, start your fire and let the coals develop until extremely hot. Bank Coals or shift fire to one side of the grill. If using a gas grill, preheat to 400 degrees.
Place stalks on to a sheet pan, liberally drizzle with olive oil and season aggressively with salt and pepper. Place stalks directly onto the grill.. Cook Sprouts, turning frequently, until deeply colored on all sides and tender. Gently pierce the sprouts with a paring knife to check for doneness; the sprouts should be tender. Once done, remove the stalks from the fire and on to a cutting board, let cool until you can work with them. Stand the stalks up vertically and, using a sharp knife cut the sprouts from the stalk and then in half*. Transfer Sprouts to a bowl and mix with the shallots, almonds, parsley and dress Sherry vinaigrette (recipe follows) to coat; adjust seasoning and serve.
* Note: Stand the stalks in a large mixing bowl to catch the brussels sprouts as they are separated from the stalk.
Sherry Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large mason jar and just vigorously until emulsified. Adjust season and use.
Note: If you feel the sprouts are cooking too fast, simply remove from direct flame.