Stephanie Felicetty pays homage to the wooded areas surrounding Burton’s Welshfield Inn where she cooks with her Brussels sprouts recipe. She doubles down on the Geauga County maple syrup, using it both in the butter to saute the sprouts and the vinaigrette to dress them. “And then the rice wine vinegar, which is on the low scale of vinegars in terms of bite, adds a little extra acid since soy is so salty,” says Felicetty. “You don’t want to add more sweetness, like an apple cider vinegar would do, but you do want to cut the sweetness and the saltiness somehow.”

Maple Brussels Sprouts | Makes 4 servings
Recipe courtesy of Welshfield Inn & Banquet Center

INGREDIENTS
1 pound butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved, blanched and shocked (see note below)
1/4 cup chicken stock 
1/2 cup maple syrup (Felicetty uses Geauga County syrup)
1/4 cup Thai chili sauce
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice

DIRECTIONS
Blend together, at low speed, first four ingredients to make maple butter. Then, melt 2 tablespoons maple butter in a saute pan. Add Brussels sprouts and chicken stock and bring to a boil until stock has reduced and butter has started to brown the sprouts. Meanwhile, blend the remaining ingredients, adding oil last and gradually, until well mixed, and then immediately transfer to lidded bottle (the dressing will separate quickly and must be shaken immediately prior to each use). Remove sprouts from heat. In hot pan, toss with 8 tablespoons maple vinaigrette and salt and pepper to taste.

Chef’s Note: The recipe will result in both extra maple butter and maple vinaigrette. Extra maple butter can be covered, refrigerated and used in place of butter. Extra vinaigrette can be refrigerated and used for salad dressing, on vegetables or to make spiced nuts. 

How-To: Blanch and Shock
This method makes Brussels sprouts tender, so they only require a quick saute or roast. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add sprouts. Return to a boil. After 3 or 4 minutes, test the sprouts for tenderness by poking one with a fork. (When ready, they will be easy to pierce but still firm). When at desired doneness, transfer sprouts to an ice bath using a slotted spoon, which stops the cooking process. Remove sprouts after a few seconds.