I might have picked up crabapples at the market purely because of how adorable they looked. Ok, I definitely picked them up for that reason. And then I thought, well if these are so cute and tiny, and Brussels sprouts are so cute and tiny - then maybe they would work well together! My reasoning skills leave much to be desired, obviously. But regardless of how I managed to get these two together, I liked the how the sweet tang of crabapple paired with our miniature cabbage friends, the Brussels sprouts. The maple syrup, bacon, and rosemary ended up making it a dish we can't get out of our minds.
Ingredients
4 cups halved Brussels sprouts
1 small red onion, chopped
8 thickly sliced crabapples
4 slices bacon, chopped
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped
kosher salt
white pepper
Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss Brussels sprouts, red onion, crabapples, and bacon all together. In a small bowl, whisk maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, and rosemary. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the Brussels sprouts and coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a baking sheet or 9 x 13 baking pan and roast for about 35 minutes, until the sprouts have cooked through and have developed some nice caramelization.