Makes 4 servings
Total Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
2 slices nitrate-free bacon, chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 pound (454 g)/450 grams Brussels sprouts, trimmed
Sea salt and black pepper
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon juice
½ cup toasted slivered almonds
Directions
Cut the Brussels sprouts in half if they are too big.
Heat oil in a pan over medium to high heat. Cook bacon till crisp, remove and drain on paper towels.
In the same pan, put in shallots and stir fry till soft. Put in Brussels sprouts and stir-fry for 1 minute. Season, add chicken stock and bring to boil. Cover and lower heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes - do not overcook the sprouts as this will make them taste bitter. Remove from heat, add in lemon juice and stir. Sprinkle with toasted almonds.
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Brussels sprouts with bacon and almonds is the vegetable dish that converts sprout skeptics. Crisp bacon and sweet shallots flavor the pan before the sprouts braise briefly in chicken stock, and a squeeze of lemon keeps everything lively. Toasted slivered almonds scattered over the top make each bite crackle.
Pro Tips
- Cook the bacon first and leave the rendered fat in the pan. The shallots and sprouts sauté in that fat for flavor you cannot get from olive oil alone.
- Do not overcook the sprouts. Eight to ten minutes covered keeps them bright green and sweet; any longer and they turn sulfurous and bitter.
- Toast the slivered almonds in a dry pan until just golden. They finish the dish raw-to-toasted in two minutes, so keep them moving.
- The lemon juice goes in off the heat at the very end. It brightens the whole pan and cuts through the bacon richness like a squeeze of sunshine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this dish ahead?
Braise the sprouts and bacon earlier in the day and rewarm gently, then add the lemon juice and almonds just before serving so both stay fresh.
What can I use instead of chicken stock?
Vegetable stock works, though chicken stock gives the deeper, more savory braise. Even water with an extra bit of bacon fat does the job in a pinch.
Why are my Brussels sprouts bitter?
Almost always overcooking. Keep them at a gentle simmer with the lid on and pull them the moment a knife slides through easily.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the Brussels sprouts in half if they are too big.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium to high heat.
- Cook bacon till crisp, remove and drain on paper towels.
- In the same pan, put in shallots and stir fry till soft.
- Put in Brussels sprouts and stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Season, add chicken stock and bring to boil.
- Cover and lower heat.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes - do not overcook the sprouts as this will make them taste bitter.
- Remove from heat, add in lemon juice and stir.
- Sprinkle with toasted almonds.
