Brussels sprouts are one of the highlights of the fall market. If you’re lucky you can buy them attached to the stalk. When roasted, the outer leaves become nicely browned, and in this recipe the flavor is intensified by the addition of apples and onions. The honey-roasted pecans add a wonderful sweet and salty crunch and are a bonus recipe here—you can snack on these with a cocktail too. And while we keep the veggies all vegetarian at the Shop, if you want to, roast a little bacon or pancetta along with them. The results will speak for themselves.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

　　1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

　　1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　2 teaspoons salt or to taste

　　2 baking apples, such as Braeburn or Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces

　　1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

　　1 cup honey-roasted pecans (recipe follows)

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Honey-Roasted Pecans

1 cup pecan halves

　　2 tablespoons honey

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　(makes 1 cup)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

　　

Step 2

Place the Brussels sprouts and onions in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Add the olive oil and salt, and toss to coat.

　　

Step 3

Roast until the Brussels sprouts begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Add the apples, mix, and return to the oven. Continue roasting, turning every 10 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts and onions are fully cooked and tender and the apples are beginning to soften, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Remove the dish from the oven, add the vinegar, and toss to incorporate. Season with additional salt, if desired, and transfer to a platter. Top with the pecans and a generous sprinkle of pepper. Serve immediately.

　　

Honey-Roasted Pecans

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

　　

Step 6

Place the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on the honey, add the salt, and toss to coat.

　　

Step 7

Roast, tossing every 5 minutes, until the pecans are deep brown, well roasted, and let off a strong, nutty aroma, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 8

Remove the pecans from the oven and allow to cool before using or serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Meatball Shop Cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow with Lauren Deen. Copyright © 2011 by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Daniel Holzman is executive chef at The Meatball Shop. He is an alum of Le Bernadin, San Francisco's Fifth Floor, and Aqua, among other highly acclaimed restaurants. He attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he received a full scholarship from the James Beard Foundation.Michael Chernow runs the front-of-house operations and the beverage program at The Meatball Shop. He has worked extensively in restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, where he earned degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management. He and Holzman met as teenagers when they worked together as delivery boys at the New York vegan restaurant Candle Café. Needless to say, the vegan thing didn't really stick.Lauren Deen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Cook Yourself Thin series and Kitchen Playdates. She is an Emmy award—and James Beard award— winning television producer and director. She is currently executive producer of food(ography) on the Cooking Channel.