Stop boiling Brussels sprouts when alternative method makes them 'delicious' and 'sticky'

From roast potatoes and pigs in blankets to roasted vegetables and the turkey (or equivalent main) itself, Christmas dinner is full of crowd-pleasing dishes. But not every element of a festive feast is as universally beloved, with Brussels sprouts among the more divisive side dishes.

While genetics mean sprouts can taste intensely bitter for some people, for others, their dislike is instead down to past experiences of overcooked, poorly seasoned or soggy sprouts. Luckily, there are some simple adjustments you can make to ensure your Brussels sprouts are full of flavour this Christmas. Mimi Morley, HelloFresh's senior recipe development manager, said: "Do not boil them - the reason sprouts get such a bad name is because traditionally people have just boiled them until they're tender which is a travesty.

"There are so many other ways to cook them to get so much more out of them," she continued, explaining: "Halve, peel, thinly slice and fry in butter and garlic - essentially like how you'd fry cabbage (but with mini cabbages) - you could also add fried chorizo or bacon!

"Halve through the root, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper and roast for 18-20 mins - you'll get some delicious crispiness and browning on the sprouts which will make the flavour delicious.

"If you want to take [it] one step further, you could squash/flatten them halfway through cooking, drizzle with some more oil and roast again - extra surface area for crispiness.

"Drizzle with balsamic glaze or just a bit of honey at the end to make them nice and sticky."

If you fancy elevating your sprouts this Christmas, look no further than this recipe for roasted sprouts with garlic butter and parmesan, shared by BBC Food.

Roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic butter and parmesan

Ingredients

• 400g Brussels sprouts, cut in half
• Two tbsp olive oil
• 50g butter, at room temperature
• Three garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with a little salt
• ½ nutmeg, grated
• 40g Parmesan, finely grated
• 10g finely chopped parsley
• One tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat your oven to 220C. In a large mixing bowl, season the sprouts and toss them with some olive oil.

Spread the sprouts out on a large lined baking tray, cut-side down. Place in the middle of the oven to roast for 10-15 minutes.

Tip the hot sprouts back into the mixing bowl and add the butter, garlic, nutmeg and parmesan before tipping everything back onto the tray. Roast for an additional 10 minutes until golden-brown and crisp.

Sprinkle over the lemon juice and parsley and serve.