Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apricot
Serves 4 as a side dish
In my opinion, brussel sprouts are the unsung heroes in the vegetable family. I grew up thinking that brussel sprouts were the most unappealing vegetable out there based on the way they smelled when they were steamed. It took until my 20s and some convincing to discover the treasure that is roasted brussel sprouts. When roasted, brussel sprouts bridge the gap between a leafy green vegetable and a hearty, savory root vegetable. They become crispy on the roasted and tender on the inside.
Brussel sprouts also handle the sweet and salty profile really well. In this recipe, I combine the saltiness of bacon with the sweetness of apricots to top a painful of toasty sprouts.
I’ll be serving these up next to pot roast and roasted chickens for the rest of the winter. You really can’t go long with dinner once these are on the plate. Lann and I finished the pan of these standing over the stove top, eating directly from the pan.
3 oz bacon, sliced (about three thick slices)
1 lb brussel sprouts, de-stemmed and halved
2/3 cup apricot preserves
½ cup water
Salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a small pot, pour in the apricot preserves and water and heat. When the mixture begins to simmer, whisk thoroughly to get out any clumps. Simmer the apricot sauce while the brussel sprouts roast.
In a cast iron or ovenproof skillet, cook the bacon. Once the bacon is crisp, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add the brussel sprouts to the pan with the remaining bacon grease. Toss the sprouts in the grease so they are evenly coated. Cook the brussel sprouts on high heat on the stovetop until they are evenly browned.
Once the brussel sprouts have browned, place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking. This will take approximately 15-20 minutes. The brussel sprouts are cooked once you can easily spear them with a fork.
Remove the brussel sprouts from the oven and toss them with the apricot sauce and the bacon. Give it a taste test; depending on how salty your bacon is you may want to add a sprinkling of salt. The brussel sprouts can be served directly from the pan. Yay for one less dish to wash!