I didn’t grow up eating Brussels sprouts. Our friend, Thommie, says he thought they were for throwing under the table when he was a kid. Whoops! But, as an adult I learned to love them and have found a variety of ways I can enjoy them immensely. This is the quickest and simplest way I like to prepare them. Yes, you can just sauté or roast them with salt and bacon (or, at least the bacon fat) but I need a little more when it comes to this vegetable. Enter our whole grain mustard vinaigrette. It’s potent flavor and so you only need a little bit. It also makes for a very pretty dish – the green color of the sprouts with those tiny mustard seeds throughout.
You can certainly leave the honey out of the vinaigrette but I think it’s just what’s needed to put it over the top. Plus, with only a teaspoon in the recipe, it’s a negligible amount of sugar even if you’re on Phase 1 of the VBHD. However, if you want to leave it out the vinaigrette will still be tasty.
If you didn’t know, Brussels sprouts and bacon go together like peanut butter and jelly. So, this recipe does start there. If you’re in the habit of keeping your bacon grease in a jar in the fridge, then that makes this recipe even quicker to prepare. You can just cook your sprouts in the fat and you don’t have to get out new pieces of bacon. However, if you do need or want to cook bacon first the little pieces are a nice addition to the dish when sprinkled on top for garnish. Either way, enjoy!
ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half (see our little video)
- 4 slices of bacon, uncooked and chopped OR
- 3 Tbs bacon fat
- ½ tsp salt
For the vinaigrette:
- 3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbs whole grain Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
Fanci-fy it:
- Some good and stinky gruyere cheese is delicious grated over top of the hot sprouts just before serving (if you’re a cheese-lover)!
instructions
- Prepare your Brussels sprouts by trimming and cutting them in half. (See our little video). Set aside
- Place a large skillet on your stove over medium-high heat.
- Chop and add 4 slices of bacon to your hot pan or 3 Tbs of bacon grease if you have some handy.
- Once your bacon has crisped up and rendered all it’s fat into the pan OR once your bacon fat is hot, add the prepared Brussels sprouts and the salt. No need to take the bacon pieces out if you’re using them.
- Stir the sprouts around to coat them all with fat.
- Add a 1/3 C water to the pan and cover with a lid. Let steam for about 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together in a small bowl your vinegar, mustard and honey. Set aside.
- Now, remove the lid and stir your sprouts again. Allow any remaining water to cook off. Stir the sprouts so they don’t stick to the pan. If you think the pan’s too hot, turn it down a bit. Remember, some brown on your food isn’t a bad thing. It actually tastes good!
- When the sprouts are bright green and have begun to soften a bit, they are done.
- Remove the sprouts pan from the heat and pour your vinaigrette on them. Stir them around.
- If you’re adding some cheese on top, do that now. Otherwise, you’re done.
- Enjoy!
