Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I was introduced to this lovely veggie during the Summer of 2010 while living in San Francisco. One of my roommates made them one night and I just happened to walk in at the right time and wah-la, I tried my first Brussels sprout. I was hooked ever since. So much so that I even converted my mother, a former Brussels sprout skeptic, into a Brussels sprout lover. Brussels sprouts can be sauteed, braised, fried (ohh my, those are dangerous!), but I think roasted is a great place to start if you're new to the Brussels sprout world.

12 ounces Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar*

1-2 large pinches coarse salt, depending on preference*

Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash the Brussels, removing a few of the outer leaves and trimming the ends, then cut in half length-wise. Toss them in the olive oil and vinegar. Line them on baking sheet, cut side down in a single layer. Sprinkle with the salt and roast for 35-40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender in the inside. You can even turn the broil on for the last 2 minutes to get them super crispy on the tops. Serve warm.

*I use balsamic vinegar that's been aged 18 years, it's so sweet and thick. I highly recommend you pick some up, you won't go back to regular vinegar again.

*As for the salt, I recommend something coarse like a sea salt, or Himalayan salt. I happened to have a garlic rosemary infused salt on hand so I used that.