One of my favorite ways to fancy-up Brussels Sprouts….This recipe is adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, by Suzanne Goin.
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound small Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
1/4 pound bacon, finely diced
2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup lower sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
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Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in the olive oil and butter and wait another minute. Add the Brussels sprouts, and season them with 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Shake the pan, rolling the Brussels sprouts around to help them brown evenly. After a few minutes, turn the heat to medium and cook another 3-4 minutes until the sprouts soften slightly.
Add the diced bacon to the pan and cook a minute or two, until it starts to crisp. Stir in the shallots and garlic and cook another minute or so, until they are translucent. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and reduce to about 1/4 cup, stirring and shaking the pan often to glaze the sprouts. If you start to run low on liquid before the sprouts are cooked, add a little water to the pan. You want the Brussels sprouts to be tender yet still have a bit of a crunch to them. Overcooked Brussels sprouts are the reason that a lot of folks think that they don’t like the vegetable. Serve immediately or transfer to a baking sheet to cool.
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