Baked Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and a Cashew Dip

Another week and another delivery of amazing produce from Avo and Co. This week saw gorgeous gems of brussels sprouts! However, I have a confession. Although I’ve been creating recipes for Vanilla Beige, I’m actually very much a book cook… meaning, I usually need a set of instructions to follow. I need guidance. I need tutelage. I need inspiration! This recipe, for example, is something inspired by Delish.com.

I’m not the kind of cook that can look into the bottom of her fridge and pull out ingredients for a delicious dinner. But I am easily influenced by yummy pictures on social media. I decided to give this recipe a go because it promised crunch and beautiful brussels sproutiness! While the original recipe didn’t provide all the crispiness it promised, it did turn out to be more-ish (as in, I wanted to eat more). I also realised after the fact that I didn’t actually follow the instructions properly. I should have peeled each leaf from the sprouts instead of slicing… but who has time for that – not me!

Nope, this sliced, baked brussells sprouts snack will have to do as it is here.

I also paired it with a vegan cashew dip rather than the suggested Caesar dressing. Not that it makes this dish vegan because Parmesan cheese is a very important ingredient. It was more because I always have this cashew dip in my fridge because it is delicious. The cashew dip recipe is from my sister in law and I’ve included it below.

So here’s my take on what was titled Brussels Sprouts Chips on delish.com but in my view, while there are bits that achieve that crunch, I wouldn’t regard it as a chip (it could be that my slicing technique leaves much to be desired). The burnt and crusty bits are bitter but delicious. I love the hit of parmesan and garlic. While the sprouts aren’t terribly crispy, the dish is delicious nonetheless and great for “healthy” snacking.

Ingredients:

For the brussels sprouts

• 500 grams of fresh brussels sprouts, sliced finely
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (original recipe asked for 1tsp of garlic powder but that stuff becomes solid here in the tropics so we used fresh garlic)
• 2-3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3-4 tbs freshly grated Parmesan, more for grating over at the end
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the cashew dip

• 1 cup raw cashews (unsalted and not roasted)
• 1 cup of water
• 1 lemon, squeezed
• Salt to taste (about 1 tsp)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic

Method:

For the brussels sprouts

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Combine olive oil and crushed garlic and stir well.
3. In a large bowl, coat your brussels sprout slices with the olive oil and crushed garlic.
4. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss together to coat well.
5. Cover a baking tray with baking paper then spread the brussels sprouts evenly over the tray.
6. Season with salt.
7. Bake for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and toss the brussels sprouts, so the less cooked areas are facing up. I also grate some additional Parmesan cheese on top at this point.
9. Bake again for 10 minutes, keeping an eye on it, so it doesn’t burn. You may need to bake a further 5-10 minutes to get them really toasty.

For the cashew dip

1. Combine cashews, water, lemon juice and garlic in a blender.
2. Blend til smooth (this could take up to a minute).

I love this dip because it is so versatile and easy to use. We put it on everything, from wraps to burgers. I’ve even used it in coleslaw as a replacement for mayonaisse.

Note: I was not paid for this post but I am paid to do the photography for Avo & Co’s weekly vegetable box. Find out more about how Avo & Co started in our interview with brothers Cedric and Clement. I was a loyal (paying) subscriber for ages before helping them shoot their veggie boxes.