Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon [Intro to Cooking]

By Ari

This recipe is one I hold dear to my heart. It was one of the first dishes my boyfriend and I shared as a couple, and it was the first one that I prepared for his mother. Though Brussels sprouts often come with a bad reputation, all it took was one bite of this recipe to change my mind about them completely. Sauteing the little sprouts instead of boiling them allows them to retain their firm texture, and leaves room for their sweetness to shine through.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, halved and trimmed
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 white onion, minced
• 1 carton chicken stock
• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper

Serves: 2-4
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Instructions

1. In a deep skillet, cook bacon on medium-low heat until well-browned.
2. Remove bacon from pan, and drain all but 1 tbsp. of the drippings. Add in 1 tbsp. olive oil, and change the stove to medium heat.
3. After oil is warm, saute garlic and onion until brown, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Toss in halved and trimmed Brussels sprouts. Cook until sprouts begin to brown.
4. Slowly pour 1 c. chicken stock over the sprouts and reduce to medium heat.
5. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes, adding stock 1/2 c. at a time, as the liquid cooks off.
6. Fold in grated Parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Pro Tips

1. Thick cut bacon holds up the best in recipes requiring crumbling.
2. Fold in the Parmesan after you remove from heat and immediately before serving preserves it’s color and consistency.