Brussels Sprouts

I have spoken about these Brussel Sprouts before in a previous post; but I decided to dedicate a posting to them by themselves.  Plus, that way there will be a link on the right for anybody searching for this recipe.

I invented this recipe on my own a while back when I had some summer sausage I was trying to use.  It really is a great way to elevate an ingredient that is so often misunderstood:  the Brussells sprout.  Maybe it's my 25% Belgian heritage; but I have a soft spot for these things.

I start by cooking down some fatty pork product in a non-stick skillet.  Originally I used diced summer sausage -- this time it was bacon.  Once that has cooked down and become a little caramelized, add your sprouts.  I like to cut of the stems and then slice them into wedges.

Cook these together for around 10 minutes or so over medium heat.  Then deglaze your pan with red wine (or apple cider) vinegar.  This will release any of the good bits that have become stuck to your pan.  Now add some salt & pepper and saute everything together for another 5 minutes or so.  Then lassly, add some Dijon mustard and a little brown sugar.

Previously I used quite a bit of mustard.  This time I tried it with less, in an effort to get the sprouts a little crispier and sort of caramelized.  If you use more mustard, they will be wetter.  That is not a problem at all.  I served them at Christmas time to my wife's family ... and they all got eaten.  And that was part of a giant spread of food choices.

Here are the ones from last time:

Their is a great pairing of pork and mustard here.  The are bright and acidic, and utterly delicious.  We have them quite often.