Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 1 pound brussels sprouts, rinsed, ends trimmed, rough outer leaves of larger sprouts removed
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. 1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Place brussels sprouts in a cast iron frying pan (or a roasting pan, but a cast iron frying pan will work great for this recipe). Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle Brussels sprouts with lemon juice. Toss with oil so that the sprouts are well coated. Sprinkle generously with salt (at least a half teaspoon) and a few turns of black pepper.
2. 2 Put brussels sprouts in oven on top rack, cook for 20 minutes, then stir so that the sprouts get coated with the oil in the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes. Then sprinkle with Parmesan (if using) and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Adjust the timing depending on the size of the sprouts and your particular oven. The sprouts should be nicely browned, some of the outside leaves crunchy, the interior should be cooked through. So if the sprouts look like they are getting too browned (they should be well browned, not burnt), move them to a lower rack or lower the heat.
4. Add more salt to taste. (Salting sufficiently is the key to success with this recipe.)