Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts

Brussels sprouts belong to late fall and early winter. They sweeten after the first frost, when the plant converts starches to sugars as protection against the cold. This is when you want them. Look for sprouts still attached to their stalk at the farmers' market if you can find them. They stay fresher longer, and there is something satisfying about snapping them off yourself.

Choose sprouts that feel dense and heavy for their size. The leaves should be tight, bright green, and free of yellowing. Smaller sprouts, no bigger than a walnut, tend to be sweeter and more tender. Larger ones can turn sulfurous if overcooked. Size matters here.

Hazelnuts are another fall gift. Oregon and Northern California grow beautiful ones, and late October through November is the harvest. If you can find them fresh from a local grower, still in their papery husks, you will taste the difference. Toasted hazelnuts have an almost buttery sweetness that pairs perfectly with the earthiness of roasted sprouts.

This is not a complicated dish. High heat, good oil, a splash of vinegar, and time. The oven does most of the work. Your job is to start with ingredients worth eating and then get out of the way.