Charred Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Chips (Tuesday Nights)

To keep our sprouts fresh and bright we reversed the seasoning process, doing it at the end, instead of the beginning, of roasting. The cooked sprouts were tossed with ground almonds, lemon grass and lemon juice and zest, a combination inspired by a dish we enjoyed at Angus An's Maenam Restaurant in Vancouver. Garlic balanced the brightness. To keep the cloves from burning we cooked them separately from the sprouts, thinly slicing and frying 20 cloves. The crispy fried garlic chips added a savory note to the sprouts. As a bonus, we got a delicious garlic-infused oil that we used to give the sprouts a quick slick before roasting, adding another layer of flavor. Leftover oil from frying the chips can be used for salad dressings or drizzled on pasta. The sprouts were best served on a platter; in a bowl, the sprouts on the bottom tended to soften as they sat. After trimming the sprouts, you should be left with about 1½ pounds.