Crispy Brussels Sprouts

These are constantly requested during holiday meals, family meals, pretty much all of the time. And with good reason.

Side dishes are often an afterthought and rarely involve advanced planning. But a great side dish can complement any meal with an additional texture, flavor, or presentation. Brussels sprouts are a bit hit anytime, but give them a bit of crispiness, and they rise up as a tasty dish.

Software

·         8 oz. bacon, diced

·         16 oz. brussels sprouts, fresh or frozen

·         1 T. garlic, minced

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1.       In a cold medium skillet, add the bacon and turn on the heat to medium. Cook the bacon until barely crisp, stirring often. Remove the bacon to a bowl.

2.       Retain about 1-2 T of bacon fat in the skillet and keep the heat at medium

3.       Add the sprouts. If you are using fresh, cut in half lengthwise. If you are using frozen, thaw them first and place whole in the skillet. Trying to cut thawed sprouts is squishy, but you can try if you want.

4.       Stir the sprouts to coat with the bacon fat and cover. The total cook time will be about 20 minutes, but you will want to stir the sprouts about every 5 minutes to get the char over a much surface as possible.

5.       During the last 5 minutes, add the garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in the bacon and cover for the last time segment.

6.       Serve hot.

Variants

You could cut back on the salt and sprinkle some shredded parmesan cheese on top during that last time segment. Or go with another type of cheese, something melty, like gouda or fontina. This also works with cauliflower. Just cut the florets into bite sized pieces.