Uchiko Brussel Sprouts

I'm baaaacckkk!!!

I have to sincerely apologize for being MIA for like actually an entire year.  But I come bearing gifts for y'all - a gift specifically in the form of the perfect replica recipe for Uchiko's amazing brussel sprouts.

If you live in Austin (and now maybe Dallas I think too), you have probably heard of Uchi and/or Uchiko and how "you totally have to get sushi there" - which you do - but the real draw is the brussel sprouts, trust me.  They are like crack.  I have gone to dinner with my girlfriends and ordered bowl after bowl after bowl of these babies.

So it's no wonder that while I was pregnant, and the rare times I felt like eating, I wanted these delicious nuggets of heaven.  However, Uchiko can be a bit...uppity? and denied me my lifeline through Favor and I was woefully unable to have them whenever I wanted. 

Now that I am post-partum and climbing back to my old self, I got in the kitchen and got to work.  I wanted these sprouts and I made it happen!  These are insanely easy and outrageously good - even my kids chow down. 

Uchiko Brussel Sprouts

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts
  • Vegetable oil
  • Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff)
  • Juice of one small lemon
  • 1 tbs. minced garlic
  • 1 tbs. Sriracha sauce (or more to taste)

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Trim the stems off the sprouts and halve them, top to bottom.  If the sprouts are large, cut them into quarters.  You want them to be bite sized pieces.  Rinse the sprouts with water in a colander and turn out onto paper towels to dry while the oven heats.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicon baking mat (or foil).  Spread the sprouts out on your prepared baking sheet and drizzle with oil and season well with kosher salt.  Toss with tongs to coat the sprouts evenly.  Bake on the top rack for 45-60 minutes, tossing the sprouts every 15 minutes.   Bake until browned and crispy.

While the sprouts cook, prepare the sauce.  Combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic and Sriarcha sauce in a small sauce pan and season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat, bring to a boil and reduce the mixture to half, stirring constantly.

Remove the sprouts from the oven.  In a bowl, toss the sprouts in half the sauce.  Taste and add more sauce to taste.