Brussels sprouts and pomegranate are fall favorites. photo: Nancy Duran

When I was a little girl, I used to love pomegranate season. I remember my dad slicing open this exotic red fruit, then bending back the tough skin and gently extracting the sweet, juicy seeds for me to snack on. When I saw pomegranates at the market today, I realized that I hadn’t yet passed this tradition on to my little ones. So I gathered up a couple and brought them home with the intention of sharing them with my boys. In the meantime, this happened.

Pomegranates are lovely in savory dishes and Brussels sprouts are a classic companion. Luckily, I had Brussels sprouts in the fridge from Sunday’s CSA pickup. The sweet tangy pop of the pomegranate seeds is a nice complement to the earthy cabbage flavor of the sprouts. Often this dish is sweetened even more with the addition of molasses or pomegranate syrup. I find, though, that just a touch of brown sugar gives the dish a sufficiently sweet edge.

This is a great side to have in your repertoire for Thanksgiving entertaining. It looks really pretty on the table and provides a fresh twist on a holiday favorite.

Serves 6

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, outer leaves removed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 pomegranate)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Halve any Brussels sprouts that are on the larger side and leave the smaller sprouts whole. In a large bowl, toss the sprouts with the oil, salt, and pepper. Pour onto a rimmed baking sheet that is large enough to fit the sprouts all in one layer. Place in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until browned and tender.
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing in a small bowl by combining the lemon juice and sugar. Whisk to dissolve the sugar.
4. Transfer the roasted sprouts into a medium serving bowl and add the almonds, pomegranate seeds, zest, and dressing. Toss to combine and coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional analysis based on 6 servings:
Calories 170, Fat 11g, Sodium 416mg, Carbohydrate16g, Fiber 6g, Sugar 6g, Protein 5g