Mustard & Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Here I am again, reporting about another one of the recipes I learned from my Vegetarian Thanksgiving Class at the Chopping Block. I was going to wait until I try each recipe out myself before blogging about it, but then I realized it might take a while ;-) Anyways, this edition will be about the Mustard & Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts--arguably my favorite dish that day!

I'm a HUGE Brussels sprouts lover, as well as an avid fan of maple syrup and all types of mustard. So yeah, this dish was right up my alley! However, the friend who I took the cooking class with normally hates Brussels sprouts and mustard. . . And he loved this dish. So it obviously rocks, which means you have to go home and try it out right away!!! The sweetness of the maple syrup used in the glaze really cut the bite from the sprouts and the mustard, and all three flavors worked well together.

Below I've copied down the recipe they gave us, along with the corrections and modifications she made in class. In bold, I've listed any further modifications I'd like to try when I do the recipe myself! If I ever do them, I'll do a follow-up report ;-)

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Mustard and Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts
1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
3 tbsp unsalted butter [Smart Balance or Earth Balance for the vegans & dieters]
3 tbsp walnut mustard [Possibly sub walnuts + dijon since I wasn't able to pick up any walnut mustard]
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup vegetable stock

Heat a deep skillet with a tight fitting lid over a medium flame until hot. Add grapeseed oil [or olive oil. . . apparently grapeseed oil is better for high heat cooking, though] and sauté the Brussels sprouts for about 2 minutes or until lightly caramelized. Add the butter when halfway cooked.

Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the Brussels sprouts are just tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 min. If the sauce has not reduced to a thick glaze, remove the lid and continue to cook until reduced. Note: The recipe has never worked as written, and the sprouts always end up overcooked when we try; therefore, we always skip the step in which the sprouts are covered, and always cooked them uncovered.