Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

I was so excited about this recipe that I  had to share it today on both of my blogs. I recently discovered the absolute, mouth-watering heaven that is honey sriracha brussels sprouts at a restaurant that served it as an appetizer. I'm not a huge fan of brussels sprouts, but my husband is and it sounded intriguing. So we ordered a serving and WOW. So unbelievably divine. The leaves are fried until caramelized with a hint of crunch, adding a delicious flavor that is hard to describe but definitely takes out much of the brussels-sprout-ness. And then the sweet-spicy kick from the sauce grabs you and tosses you right on the floor. Oh my! The best dish I'd tried in quite a while, so I decided I just HAD to try and create a knockoff version at home. It was very close, my friends. Very close indeed. 

Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1 lb brussels sprouts

Coconut oil for frying (You can use another oil of your choice, but I highly recommend the coconut oil)

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp sriracha sauce (or more/less to taste)

1 Tbsp mayonnaise OR Thousand Island Dressing (Paleo folks can use homemade or skip entirely)

1 good squirt of lemon or lime juice

Salt to taste

Heavenly! Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

Directions

Cut off the stem ends of the brussels sprouts and peel off leaves, placing them in a medium-sized bowl. When you've peeled as many as you can off of a sprout, cut the heart into 2-3 pieces and add to the bowl. Heat a decent layer of oil in a small, heavy pot or skillet until hot--if a test leaf starts sizzling right away when it hits the pan, it's hot enough. Again, I really recommend the coconut oil if you have it--this adds a slight sweetness to offset the spicy sriracha and occasional mild bitter element in the brussels sprouts. Peanut oil might be worth investigating too.

While oil is heating, whisk together the honey, sriracha, mayo/dressing, and lemon/lime juice in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside. Fry brussels sprouts in hot oil in SMALL batches, like a single handful at a time. (Don't crowd the pan or the leaves will steam, not caramelize.) Be careful! They will spatter like crazy. Use a lid or spatter screen and lean away from the pan so you don't get popped by hot oil. If you use a lid, however, really check this frequently. Fry until many of the leaves are browned and caramelized--and with a properly heated pan, a batch should only take 30 seconds to maybe 1 1/2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain why frying remaining batches. When done, sprinkle with salt to taste and return to medium bowl. Start with a couple Tbsp of sauce at a time and toss gently. Add more to taste as needed (though too much will overpower the delicious fry on the leaves). Serve immediately.

Serves 2-4 as an appetizer or a small side dish/garnish.

Enjoy!

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J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people!