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Brussels sprouts are often considered an acquired taste. I for one really like brussels sprouts, and thankfully my family also loves brussels sprouts. Fried brussels sprouts had become a go-to dish that I order at restaurants. It’s easy to make them at home, too. The easiest way to prepare them at home is to roast them in the oven. They become tender, the exterior becomes crispy, and all you need is some simple seasoning.

Did you know brussels sprouts and kale, as well as cauliflower and broccoli and gai lan, come from the same wild cabbage family?

The other day I got some Chilean grapes. Their skin wasn’t too thick and the grapes had a lot of flavour, mostly sweet with just a hint of acidity and tannin. I was looking up savoury recipes to prepare grapes, and I came across a roasted grapes and brussels sprouts recipe. What a clever idea! I kept on reading a number of similar recipes and adapted to create the following, with an Asian twist by adding Chinese sausage.

Fun fact: Grapes are a rich, natural source of polyphenols, which protect the health and function of our cells. They are also a good source of vitamin K, copper, and many of the B vitamins.

Ingredients

• 1lb Brussels sprouts, halved, or quartered if large
• 1/2lb Seedless Grapes (I used Chilean black seedless table grapes)
• 30g Chinese Sausage
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dried Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup toasted cashews

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to Bake at 450F. In a baking dish, toss brussels sprouts with oil, thyme, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.

2. Add grapes, Chinese sausage, balsamic vinegar and cashews into the baking dish and toss everything together. Put it back in the oven, continuing baking until the brussels sprouts become caramelized and tender, about 20 minutes.

The Results?

Once roasted, the grapes burst in my mouth and the sweetness became more concentrated. They work perfectly in counterpart to the salty Chinese sausage and savoury brussels sprouts.

Fun fact: Chile is the top grower of table grapes in the southern hemisphere and the world, with almost 30% of Chile’s fruit growing area dedicated to grapes.

Tips

• Not everyone has Chinese sausage in their fridge (it’s a staple in ours, though), so you can substitute it with bacon.
• Feel free to change up your herbs and spices to your liking. Add chili powder, cumin, or switch sweet Hungarian paprika to smoked paprika.
• You can use any grapes you want – but I would suggest something on the sweeter side and bigger in size. Green seedless grapes are probably too acidic for this.

Final Thoughts

I really loved this recipe. It’s still easy to make but it adds layers of flavours and texture to the brussels sprouts. I would definitely make this again.