Recipe: Boon's Brussels sprouts

Dear Culinary SOS: On our trip to the Russian River earlier this month, we had a lot of amazing food. The dish we can't get out of our heads is the Brussels sprouts at boon eat + drink in Guerneville, Calif. Everyone in town sent us in to the restaurant to try these out, and now we know why. We still can't get over the incredible flavor and texture; they were outrageous. Please help us get the recipe for this. It would be perfect for holiday meals. — Rebecca Sommer, Pasadena, Calif.

Dear Rebecca: Delicately crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, boon's Brussels sprouts are served warm, tossed in a simple dressing with bright notes of lemon and just a touch of heat from red chili flakes.

Boon's Brussels sprouts

Makes 4 servings

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1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cloves finely minced garlic, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1. Heat the oven to 475 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

3. Roast the Brussels sprouts in the oven, tossing periodically, until crisp and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Toss the Brussels sprouts every few minutes for even coloring.

4. While the Brussels sprouts are roasting, in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining one-fourth cup olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes to form a dressing.

5. When the Brussels sprouts are roasted, remove them and toss them with the dressing. Transfer to a platter and serve hot.

Note: Adapted from boon eat + drink. Instead of roasting the Brussels sprouts, the restaurant deep-fries them (using rice bran oil) at 350 degrees to cook and color, about 1 minute and 10 seconds.

Each serving: 252 calories; 5 grams protein; 15 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 21 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 4 grams sugar; 331 mg sodium.