Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions
This fragrant recipe, also from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters, balances the natural pairing of Brussels sprouts and bacon with fresh onion and thyme.
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 sprigs of thyme
Sea salt
Lemon juice (optional)
Method:
1. Trim away any damaged outer leaves and cut stems from the Brussels sprouts. If the sprouts are very small, cut the sprouts in half; for medium-sized ones, cut into quarters. Cook the sprouts until tender in salted boiling water. Drain well.
2. Heat a heavy sauté pan over high heat and add olive oil and bacon. Cook bacon until rendered and brown, but not crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Add onion and thyme to the fat in the pan. Cook until onion is soft, but not browned. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon (optional).
3. Turn heat down to medium-high, add the drained sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until sprouts are warmed through and starting to brown. Add bacon and toss. Season to taste as needed.
Variations: For a vegetarian option, this dish is also delicious sans bacon, or tossed with chopped fresh thyme. It can also be prepared with Brussels sprout leaves: Cut stem from sprouts and separate the leaves. Thinly slice the compact centers. Do not boil leaves, instead add to onion after it has been cooked and salted. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour in a splash of chicken broth to a depth of about ¼ inch, cover and cook until leaves are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
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Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Bacon
A great holiday side!
Ingredients:
3 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed of any tough core ends and halved lengthwise
6 slices thick-cut bacon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
20-25 whole fresh chestnuts
½ cup turkey or chicken stock
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To prep the chestnuts, cut a slit in the shell of each chestnut with a serrated knife. Roast the chestnuts in a cast iron skillet in a 400° oven for 20 minutes or until tender. Peel them as soon as they are cool enough to handle. If you have difficulty peeling them, reheat them for 5 minutes to further loosen their skins.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the butter. When the foam subsides, add the Brussels sprouts and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts and season with salt and pepper. Add the turkey or chicken stock, simmer until heated through and serve.
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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Sautéed in chicken broth and tossed with garlic and shallots, these Brussels sprouts pair beautifully with bacon.
Ingredients:
1 pound (about 4-5 cups) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
2 cups Skagit River Ranch bacon ends, chopped into bite-size pieces (as necessary)
1 large shallot, peeled and minced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
¾ cup chicken stock
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and sauté for 5-8 minutes or until bacon begins to brown. Remove pan from heat. Remove the bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan (discard any remaining drippings).
2. Return pan to medium-high heat, and stir in bacon, shallot, and Brussels sprouts; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté for 4 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until the broth mostly evaporates and the sprouts are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in salt and pepper.
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Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Apple & Bacon
Also tossed with brown sugar and apple cider vinegar, this warm side is sure to wow.
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed of tough ends
6 slices of bacon
1 tart apple, finely diced
2 large shallots, minced
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Method:
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until most of the fat has rendered and the meat is crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings from the skillet. Meanwhile, shave the trimmed Brussels sprouts using a box grater or mandoline.
2. Add the diced shallots to the skillet and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the mustard seeds and stir to coat with the oil. Add the shaved Brussels sprouts to the pan and cook, again stirring until sprouts just begin to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Add the apple cider vinegar and brown sugar and toss thoroughly to combine.
3. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving platter. (Be sure to scrape up all the delicious browned bits from the bottom of the skillet when doing so!) Crumble the bacon over top and add the apple slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Breadcrumbs
Topped with buttery, golden brown breadcrumbs, these Brussels sprouts are the epitome of comfort food.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed of tough ends, then halved (if large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Grana-style cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Lightly oil a heavy baking sheet. Mound the Brussels sprouts on the sheet pan, drizzle the olive oil over them and toss gently to coat. Arrange the sprouts in a single uncrowded layer.
2. Roast for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking, until the sprouts are tender and lightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add breadcrumbs. Toss to combine and season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Remove the sprouts from the oven, sprinkle the breadcrumbs mixture over them evenly and return them to the oven. Roast for another 6-8 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are toasted and golden. Serve hot.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears
This unique flavor combination is accented by salty pistachios.
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 pear, halved and cored
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Place Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then, place pear halves, cut sides-down, on the baking sheet, making sure there is enough oil to coat their cut surfaces.
2. Roast for about 20 minutes, then turn the Brussels sprouts with a metal spatula so that both sides will get caramelized. After another 10 minutes, turn the Brussels sprouts again, also flipping the pear slices. Reduce the oven heat to 375°.
3. Add pistachios to the pan to toast slightly, removing the baking sheet from the oven after 5 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice directly over all the ingredients, then use a spatula to roughly chop pear halves. Toss thoroughly, check for seasoning, and serve warm.
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Brussels Sprouts Pasta
Tossed with garlic, red onion and red pepper flakes, sautéed sprouts add sweet, nutty appeal to this comforting seasonal pasta from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters.
Ingredients:
4 cups Brussels sprouts
½ cup chopped red onion
3 cloves peeled garlic
1 pound pasta (farfalle, penne or orrechiette)
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Cut the stem out of each sprout and separate the leaves. (Thinly slice the tiny hearts if you can’t tease apart all the leaves.) Fill a large pot with salted water for the pasta; once boiling, add the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan, add a little olive oil, toss in the sprout leaves, salt and pepper to taste and sauté for about a minute over very high heat.
3. Add red onion and a pinch of hot pepper flakes and continue to sauté until sprouts are tender and a little browned, 2-5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and toss in garlic. (If garlic appears to be browning, add a splash of water to the pan.) Squeeze a little lemon juice onto the sprouts, and once pasta is done, drain and add to pan and toss together. Adjust seasonings to taste; serve drizzled with high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
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Duck Egg Carbonara with Bacon
Creamy and indulgent, simple and satisfying, this classic-style carbonara dish gets an added boost from this week’s silky duck eggs.
Ingredients:
6 ounces thick-cut bacon, about 4-6 slices
1 pound bucatini
4 duck egg yolks, plus 1 duck egg
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Cut the bacon into ½ inch pieces. Cook slowly on low heat in a medium skillet until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, but not crumbling. Drain the bacon from the fat and reserve the drippings to use later. Let the bacon cool.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water. While pasta is boiling, whisk together the egg and egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt, a couple twists of fresh ground black pepper, and the bacon.
3. When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta right away to the bowl of egg mixture. Use a pair of tongs to mix the pasta noodles in with the sauce, turning and scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and continue to mix.
4. Gradually add in the grated parmesan cheese, mixing well before adding more, until you have used the entire ½ cup amount. Continue adding pasta water as needed until the sauce is creamy and emulsified, just a tablespoon at a time. (If you add too much water, the sauce will become thin and start to pool at the bottom of the bowl. Adding a little bit at a time will help you achieve that perfect luscious sauce without accidentally overdoing it.) Serve while hot. Garnish with a final grating of cheese and twist of black pepper.
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Jacob’s Cattle Beans with Bacon & Sage
Smoky and savory, this is a bowlful of comfort on a fall day!
Ingredients:
½ pound dried Jacob’s Cattle beans, soaked
3 pieces (about 5 ounces) thick-cut bacon
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
4-5 small cloves garlic, minced
4 heaping teaspoons crumbled sage, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
A splash of wine or vinegar, for deglazing
Olive oil, for garnish
Method:
1. Transfer beans and their soaking liquid to a medium saucepan. Add water to cover by at least 1 inch, if necessary, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, covered, until beans just begin to soften, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to a clean plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Deglaze pan with a splash of wine or vinegar and scrape up all of the browned bits. Add onions, celery, carrot, and garlic to the skillet. Crumble in 2 teaspoons of sage and sprinkle with salt. Sauté over low heat, very slowly, until vegetables are very soft and slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes.
3. Add vegetables and salt to the beans. Simmer, partially covered, until beans are tender and cooking liquid has thickened, about 1 hour 15 minutes. During the final 5 minutes of cooking, add the remaining sage and freshly ground black pepper: taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and topped with crumbled bacon.
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Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette
This hearty salad is accented by apples, dried cranberries and a tart Meyer lemon dressing.
Ingredients:
3 cups shaved Brussels sprouts
2 cups thinly chopped Lacinato kale
1 apple, finely diced
2 small avocados (or 1 large) diced
½ cup shaved almonds
½ cup dried cranberries
Dressing:
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 small Meyer lemons
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
Method:
1. Add salad ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Prepare dressing by mixing together mustard, olive oil, lemons, and maple syrup together with a fork until smooth.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad ingredients, and toss together until evenly coated.
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