36th Birthday Brussels Sprouts
I ate something similar to this at a restaurant on my 36th birthday. It took a few months to work this recipe out, but now it is an easy and delicious way to serve up this wonderful vegetable. I use a shallow calphalon stock pot with steamer insert for this recipe.
Ingredients:
1 Cube Challenge unsalted butter
2 Dozen (potentially less based on the size of your pan) medium sized fresh brussels sprouts
shallots
pre-cooked bacon
minced garlic
Method:
First, wash and carefully clean the brussels sprouts. Then trim them carefully as well. Keep in mind that the more of the base you trim, the more they have a tendency to fall apart. Less is more! Then halve the sprouts and set them cut-side down in your steamer.
Finely dice 1/4 cup shallots, 1/4 cup bacon, 1/4 cup garlic, set aside.
Steam brussels sprouts. You do not want to cook them all the way through, but leave them in until they are bright green. Only takes about 5 minutes. Effectively, a steam blanch. If you cook them too much here, you will certainly overcook them in the second step.
Set aside steamed brussels sprouts. Melt butter, add shallots, bacon and garlic.
I prefer challenge butter because it takes the heat well without browning or burning.
If you like, you can increase your amounts of shallots, bacon and garlic. Just try to keep the proportions even. The mixture is really quite tasty, and you may find yourself wanting more, a problem that is easily solved.
Once the butter is melted and you have cooked the bacon, shallots and garlic for approximately 5 minutes on medium heat (to soften and release flavors, don't brown), reduce heat to low, and spread mixture out evenly on the botom of your pan or pot. Then set your partially cooked brussels sprouts cut-side down in the mixture. Let them simmer at low heat for 15-20 minutes, taking care not to overcook them. Optional: season sprouts with a touch of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Serve hot with the tasty bacon/shallot/garlic mixture drizzled over the top.
Excellent with beef or lamb.
I ate something similar to this at a restaurant on my 36th birthday. It took a few months to work this recipe out, but now it is an easy and delicious way to serve up this wonderful vegetable. I use a shallow calphalon stock pot with steamer insert for this recipe.
Ingredients:
1 Cube Challenge unsalted butter
2 Dozen (potentially less based on the size of your pan) medium sized fresh brussels sprouts
shallots
pre-cooked bacon
minced garlic
Method:
First, wash and carefully clean the brussels sprouts. Then trim them carefully as well. Keep in mind that the more of the base you trim, the more they have a tendency to fall apart. Less is more! Then halve the sprouts and set them cut-side down in your steamer.
Finely dice 1/4 cup shallots, 1/4 cup bacon, 1/4 cup garlic, set aside.
Steam brussels sprouts. You do not want to cook them all the way through, but leave them in until they are bright green. Only takes about 5 minutes. Effectively, a steam blanch. If you cook them too much here, you will certainly overcook them in the second step.
Set aside steamed brussels sprouts. Melt butter, add shallots, bacon and garlic.
I prefer challenge butter because it takes the heat well without browning or burning.
If you like, you can increase your amounts of shallots, bacon and garlic. Just try to keep the proportions even. The mixture is really quite tasty, and you may find yourself wanting more, a problem that is easily solved.
Once the butter is melted and you have cooked the bacon, shallots and garlic for approximately 5 minutes on medium heat (to soften and release flavors, don't brown), reduce heat to low, and spread mixture out evenly on the botom of your pan or pot. Then set your partially cooked brussels sprouts cut-side down in the mixture. Let them simmer at low heat for 15-20 minutes, taking care not to overcook them. Optional: season sprouts with a touch of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Serve hot with the tasty bacon/shallot/garlic mixture drizzled over the top.
Excellent with beef or lamb.
