It is Brussels Sprouts on the Stalk Season!

I love Brussels sprouts. Once a year I walk into my local grocery store and there they are, Brussels sprouts on stalks. They look so cool. Don’t they! This happened to my delight 3 days ago, and last night I made a hearty dish perfect for colder months.

I was thinking this Brussels sprouts side dish would compliment almost any special autumn or winter meal too, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years or whatever you celebrate. I am sharing my recipe with you. You can tell me if you agree.

I have this recipe as serving 4. You may adjust it to your needs accordingly. Also, as most of my recipes are, this is a “forgiving recipe.” You can add other things or subtract an ingredient here and there. I am sure yours will still come out just as delicious.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ a full stalk of Brussels sprouts
• 5 strips of smoked country bacon (make 6 ’cause you know you’ll eat one)*
• 1 tablespoon of bacon grease
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• a generous portion of cut up fresh rosemary – a small hand full
• 2 medium cloves garlic – smashed then chopped
• 1 large shallot onion chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

*If you don’t eat meat, a great substitute for the bacon is crunchy baked eggplant strips from the oven, salted

Instructions:

1. Begin by frying the bacon in a pan. (“I can bring home the bacon…fry it up in a pan… and never….” Oh, so sorry. I couldn’t resist. -ugh, -never liked that commercial, but it sure was catchy. You know you’re singing it now. 🙂 ) Once the bacon is finished, drain the bacon on a paper towel and reserve about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the pan. -a simple bottom of the pan coating will do.
2. Make sure the temperature setting of the burner is on medium heat. We don’t want any part of this dish burning. You’ll lose too much nice color if you let it get too hot as well.
3. Remove and rinse ½ of the Brussels sprouts from your stalk. (Stalks are typically the same size wherever you go.) Slice each Brussels sprout in two and add to the pan.
4. Now, add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and move around all the sprouts until they are all coated. Cover the pan with a fitted lid.
5. At this point, you can add a little water to the bottom of the pan. I usually do to help control the heat, and the sprouts will steam nicely. Only add a little of water though. You want to sprouts to steam, not boil.
6. After the sprouts have cooked and softened for about 20 minutes, add the bacon strips. Shred them first. Now, add everything else, your shallots, the rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Stir around and flip with a spatula often for another 20 minutes. After the added 20 minutes, you’re done! Place in a bowl and serve.

A Serving Idea: -Part of the Grasslands Road Collection

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Melanie Wilcox is also known online as melaniekaren. Her educational background is in biology and environmental science; she loves our natural world. She writes about various nature topics, ancient symbolism, sustainability and self-sufficiency and most things spiritually esoteric. Visit Melanie’s website.