Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Cinnamon-Butter Yogurt and Chestnuts

This is a lot of work with many steps and ingredients. Unless you can assign somebody to prepare this single dish, there’s absolutely no way it would make it to a Thanksgiving table since it can’t be prepared in advance, at least as I read the recipe. I find it much simpler to halve and roast the brussels sprouts in olive oil and lightly dress with salt, pepper, hot honey or maple syrup and Aleppo pepper, and a squeeze of lemon or balsamic. Easily prepped and thrown together at the last minute.

We thought this was fabulous! Used Trader Joe cooked, vacuum packed organic chestnuts. The dish looked so festive, all red and green. The pomegranate seeds are a must, as they look like jewels and pop into bursts of sweet juice. Crispy fried sage leaves are also a great touch--I fried in butter and poured over at the end. Quite filling, as chestnuts have meaty texture, but not heavy.

I love Reem Assil's cookbook "Arabiyya," in which savory dishes often incorporate cinnamon and cardamon, among other spices. Give it a chance!

Agree with Ellen on the olive oil, salt and pepper. Maybe a splash of balsamic. Honey and maple syrup are too sweet for me. Brussel sprouts are delicious when simple and roasted.

Too complicated a recipe for a large Thanksgiving meal. Roast with olive oil, garlic and, if desired, pepper and salt. A sprinkling of pomegranate seeds at the end will provide a sweet, tart counterpoint, or substitute balsamic vinegar as others have suggested.

Roasted Brussels sprouts do not need to be smothered in toppings. Instead: Halve the sprouts Spread on a baking pan Drizzle with olive oil Salt a bit Roast about 20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the outside crisps up and is done to taste. Toss/shake midway through. (We use parchment paper on top of a baking sheet.) Test/taste occasionally while the sprouts roast — they will become sweeter and creamier as time passes.

There are a lot of "moving parts" to this recipe but some shortcuts might help. Make the yogurt butter and chestnut topping sans the pomegranate seeds the day before. Similarly prep the sprouts and kale. Cover and refrigerate. The following day bring everything up to room or "recipe temp", & add the seeds before cooking the sprouts and finishing it off.

Brussels sprouts are the non-sweet food on the Thanksgiving plate so why squander that by using maple syrup and cinnamon? Better option — flavors like lemon, garlic, mustard, pepper.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I'm looking forward to trying this recipe with the leftovers a day or 2 later. And I hope Mr Ottolenghi will try to be a bit more open-minded about our Thanksgiving traditions. The food doesn't have to be bland.

He warns against overcooking the sprouts, but the photo clearly shows that they have been.

Real talk does anyone actually like eating pomegranate seeds? They look nice, great flavor, but chewing them up is like eating wood chips

I can’t wait to make this. But it will be a star against a roast chicken or fish. Many Thanksgiving dishes are bland due to the traditional nod to the simplicity of the holiday’s origin, and the limitations of time in the kitchen while putting a feast on the table by 2 pm or so.

You can only make this at the last minute and it requires both the oven and the cook top, plus it uses several pans. I think I'll make it at a less hectic meal. It looks like something we would love.

I am sad that Mr. Ottolenghi disparages fresh brussels sprouts roasted in olive oil with salt and pepper as bland. On the contrary, the fresh, green flavour of the brussels sprouts is allowed to shine and is a good foil for the richness of the stuffing and gravy.

This would be a really good recipe for a child who has to be tricked into eating vegetables!