Brussels sprouts are incredibly good for us. One ball contains more vitamin C than an orange, and plenty of other nutrients – even when favourably fried with bacon and a touch of Parmesan so that the leaves are crisp and salty.
Serves 4-6
8oz slab bacon, cut into 1/2 x 1/4 inch thick strips (kitchen shears work great for this)
2 lbs brussels sprouts, bottoms rimmed, outer leaves discarded and split in half
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- put bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet or cast iron pan, add enough water to barely cover the bacon, and cook over medium heat until the water completely evaporates. Continue to cook, stirring and tossing occasionally until the bacon is crisp on all sides, about 8 minutes longer. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer set over a larger heatproof bowl to drain and then set bacon aside.
- Toss the sprouts w/ the bacon fat until well coated. Wipe out the skillet, add 1 tsp of the bacon fat and heat over high heat until smoking. Add as many sprouts as fit in a single layer cut side down and cook without moving until deeply charred, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is charred and the sprouts are tender / crisp, about 3 minutes longer. Season to taste w/ salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Add bacon to the serving bowl and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
*to prepare for a crowd, double ingredients, preheat the oven to 500 degrees and proceed through step 1. Toss sprouts and bacon fat together in a large bowl and transfer to one or two rimmed baking sheets and roast until cooked through and well charred (about 10 minutes). Toss w/ bacon and serve immediately.
FUN FACTS:
During the reign of the ancient Roman empire, athletes devoured Brussels sprouts because they were seen as symbols of endurance and stability. Because Brussels sprouts became so popular in 13th century Belgium, these little veggies were named after the country’s capital, Brussels.
– There are 110 different varieties of Brussel Sprouts
– The heaviest ever grown, in 1992, weighed 8.2kg (18 lbs)!
– Sprouts are said to aid fertility
