Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Shaved Parmesan

Wowza! What an incredible dish! Caramelized Brussels sprouts, chewy/sweet sun dried tomatoes, fresh garlic, and shaved parmesan. Four ingredients that produce one spectacular side dish. The flavor and texture components are perfectly balanced - sweet, salty, tangy, chewy, and crisp. I'm 100% sure this belongs on your table all year long.

Even I'm shocked by the amount of flavor this dish delivers. Thing is, when you start with flavorful ingredients, you don't need a gazillion of them. Just a handful. The sharp flavor of Brussels sprouts and garlic is perfectly complimented by the sweet sun dried tomatoes. And since you make efficient use of the oil in the jar of sun dried tomatoes, there's more of that rich flavor going on. And then the cheese with all the salty/nutty flavor... Perfection.

And don't be dissuaded by the two-step cooking process. Yes, the sprouts are blanched in boiling water for 5 minutes before roasting, but that gives you time to mince the garlic and chop the sun dried tomatoes. The blanching process completely eliminates the risk of burning the sprouts in the oven.

And, take note friends, this dish would make a sensational addition to your holiday table!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Shaved Parmesan

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup minced oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, plus 1 tablespoon oil from the jar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
Salt and ground black pepper
Good quality parmesan or Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, trim the stem ends and halve the sprouts lengthwise.
Transfer the halved sprouts to a large bowl, add the sun dried tomatoes, oil from the jar, olive oil, and garlic and toss to coat.
Transfer the sprouts to a large baking sheet or ovenproof skillet and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until the sprouts are golden brown. Shave the cheese over top and serve hot.
Serves 4