Time to get sprout of control… with brussel sprouts that is!

For as far back as I can remember, brussel sprouts have been the punch line of many a vegetable themed joke.   Growing up, images of kids with turned up noses or making gagging sounds were the only experience I had with brussel sprouts.  As I got older, I tried different ways to make them more palatable but always felt like brussel sprouts and I were just mere acquaintances and not really friends.

Then, I was watching Diners Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network and watched as a small and quaint garage restaurant in San Jose introduced me to brussel sprouts like we were meeting for the first time.  I replicated the dish and, what can I say?  We’re in love.

High in protein, rich in vitamin C and now jam packed with flavour, I don’t just make this as a side dish, I’ve eaten this as a meal on it’s own!

Ingredients:

•     Few slices of cooked bacon, chopped in small pieces

•     1 pound of brussel sprouts (ends trimmed and wilted outer leaves removed)

•     3 garlic cloves, sliced

•     3 sage leaves

•     2 bay leaves

•     2-3 tbsps of olive oil

•     salt and pepper to taste

•     3 slices of lemon

•     1 tbsp of butter

Directions:

•     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

•     In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except bacon and butter and toss until brussel sprouts are coated in oil

•     Lay out a piece of parchment paper and lie in a slightly larger piece of aluminum foil

•     Pour the mixture in and top with butter and bacon.

•     Fold the foil into a tightly sealed package to allow for steaming (essentially cooking "en papillote")

•     Cook for 35 minutes or until checked for desired tenderness with a fork

A Few Notes:

•     On the show, the chef doesn’t add the bacon until he is ready to make an order.  At that point, he reheats the brussel sprouts in a sauté pan with some chicken stock and the bacon.  This isn’t necessary if you serve right away… And it’s flavourful enough that you wouldn’t really need the chicken stock.

•     One thing I did do was sauté the cooked brussel sprouts, garlic and bacon (everything else removed) in a non-stick pan for a few minutes just to give a little added caramelization… delicious!

•     If you are looking for a vegan option, just omit the bacon and use a butter substitute or no butter at all.