Brussels sprouts bacon chou de bruxelles aux ardons

Makes 6 as a side dish

Slab bacon, or unsliced bacon, can be found at specialty stores or from your local butcher. If you aren’t able to find slab bacon, look for thick-cut bacon, but your typical bacon or even pancetta will work just fine.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
  • 2 oz slab bacon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large shallots, minced
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Wash the sprouts and pull off any damaged or tough-looking leaves. Wipe them dry with a paper towel, cut them in half from bottom to top, and set aside. Cut the bacon into lardons and render them in olive oil.
  2. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shallots to the rendered bacon fat. When they’re translucent, after about 2 minutes, add the sprouts to the pan. Make sure most of the pieces spend some time “face-down” so they will brown. After about 3 minutes, or when most of them have gotten some color, remove the pan from the heat to add the wine and return it to the heat so the liquid can reduce to about 1/2 cup. Lower the heat to medium-low, and then add the stock, salt, and pepper.
  3. Cook the sprouts partially covered until they’re tender, 20 to 25 minutes total cooking time. To check for doneness, stick the tip of a paring knife into the core of one of the larger sprout halves; you should feel moderate resistance. To check for deliciousness, eat one. These sprouts are superb when served with roasts, steaks, and even whole-roasted fish.

CIA FOODIES

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Brussels sprouts bacon chou de bruxelles aux ardons
Makes 6 as a side dish Slab bacon, or unsliced bacon, can be found at specialty stores or from your local butcher. If you aren't able to find slab bacon, look for thick-cut bacon, but your typical bacon or even pancetta will work just fine.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
  • 2 oz slab bacon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large shallots, minced
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Wash the sprouts and pull off any damaged or tough-looking leaves. Wipe them dry with a paper towel, cut them in half from bottom to top, and set aside. Cut the bacon into lardons and render them in olive oil.
  2. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shallots to the rendered bacon fat. When they’re translucent, after about 2 minutes, add the sprouts to the pan. Make sure most of the pieces spend some time “face-down” so they will brown. After about 3 minutes, or when most of them have gotten some color, remove the pan from the heat to add the wine and return it to the heat so the liquid can reduce to about 1/2 cup. Lower the heat to medium-low, and then add the stock, salt, and pepper.
  3. Cook the sprouts partially covered until they’re tender, 20 to 25 minutes total cooking time. To check for doneness, stick the tip of a paring knife into the core of one of the larger sprout halves; you should feel moderate resistance. To check for deliciousness, eat one. These sprouts are superb when served with roasts, steaks, and even whole-roasted fish.

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