B is for: Brussels Sprout Chips

If you’re familiar with this blog, you likely already know how much I adore brussels sprouts. They’re probably my favorite vegetable.

You also likely know that I’m obsessed with the brussels sprout chips at Marlowe and Park Tavern in San Francisco.

I’ve been meaning to take my own crack at them for awhile, and finally got around to it this week. I’m fairly certain chef Jennifer Puccio flash fries hers, which is one of the reasons they taste so good. However, that seemed messy, so I decided to roast the leaves at a low temperature in the oven, similar to my method with kale and fennel chips.

They’re seasoned with sea salt and a Meyer lemon zest. The result? Pretty damn close if I do say so myself. Just as I do at the restaurant, I inhaled the whole batch in about three minutes flat, so I know I did something right.

Start by trimming off the end of each sprout.

The leaves will either fall off or easily peel off. When you get to the point where they no longer will peel off, trim the end again and repeat the process.

Eventually, you’ll have a big pile of leaves and a bunch of little brussels sprouts, which you can use for another recipe. (Roasted brussels sprouts with pears and bacon maybe?) I had about 3-4 cups of loosely packed leaves. Keep in mind these will really shrink up in the oven… I probably only had a cup when it was all said and done.

Even though I washed them beforehand, the insides of the leaves were a little dirty so you might want to re-wash them. However, it’s important the leaves are as dry as possible before roasting, so if you own a salad spinner, give them a few whirls in that to get out most of the water.

Toss with a little olive oil and then spread onto a sheet pan lined with foil in an even layer. Because they will shrink, I suggest waiting until after roasting to season with salt. Many recipes will tell you to roast at 350 or even higher. However, just as I do with my kale chips, I prefer to roast at a lower temperature for longer to draw out the moisture, resulting in crispier chips. I cooked mine for about 30-35 minutes total at 250 degrees, but check them every ten minutes and remove any chips that are browned and crispy.

Season with sea salt and zest from a Meyer lemon.

I dare you not to finish them all in one sitting.