Skillet Sprouts with Parmesan and Pine Nuts
Halved brussels sprouts blistered hard in a pan, then finished with grated parmesan and toasted nuts.
- calories
- 290
- weight
- 9 oz
- cal / oz
- 32
- protein
- 11 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 15 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 30 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Liquid fuel
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- One pot
- Grab and go
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Brussels sprouts | 2 lb | trim the stem ends, halve through the core; pick small ones |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | plus a little more for finishing |
| Grated parmesan | 4 oz | grate at home, it keeps a week in the cooler |
| Pine nuts | 3/4 cup | toast them at home and chop rough |
| Lemon juice | 2 tbsp | bottled is fine |
| Lemon zest | 1 tbsp | dried zest works |
| Onion powder | 1/2 tsp | |
| Cayenne | 1/2 tsp | |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Get a cast iron skillet hot over the fire or on a high flame. Hotter than feels reasonable.
- Toss the sprouts in a bag or bowl with the oil, lemon juice, zest, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Lay them cut side down in the pan in one layer. Work in two rounds if they crowd. Leave them alone for four or five minutes until the flat faces go dark brown.
- Stir, cook another five minutes until the outsides char and the cores give to a knife.
- Pull the pan off the heat, scatter the parmesan over, and stir once so it melts into the edges.
- Add the pine nuts, another splash of oil, and more pepper.
The original is a broiler recipe, and camp does not have a broiler. A dry cast iron skillet gets you the same thing from the other direction: direct contact heat on the cut faces instead of radiant heat from above. That means the sprouts go in cut side down and stay put, and the pan has to be hot before anything touches it. A crowded or lukewarm pan steams them instead, and steamed sprouts are the reason people say they hate sprouts.
The cheese goes in off the heat. Parmesan on a hot pan sticks and burns before it coats anything, so kill the flame first and let residual heat do the melting. The nuts go in last for the same reason: toasted once at home is enough, and a second round in the pan turns them bitter. Sprouts and grated parmesan are cooler food, not backpacking food, so this is a first- or second-night car camping dinner.
Packing
Halve and season the sprouts at home and carry them in a zip bag in the cooler. Parmesan grated and bagged, nuts toasted and bagged separately so they stay dry.
Variations
- Skip the cheese and the sprouts go vegan; add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast for the same savory edge.
- Sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts if someone in camp is off tree nuts.
- A hot fire and a foil hood over the pan gets you closer to a broil.
https://www.lodgecastiron.com/blogs/recipe/parmesan-roasted-brussels-sprouts