Green Orbs of Joy
I love brussels sprouts, and have a deep-seated distrust of those who don't. I can imagine it's because they have only tasted (or smelled) them boiled into a mushy, sulfurous pile. These baby cabbages are quite versatile - you can braise, roast, or saute them; they take kindly to flavorful fats, and they keep fairly well in the fridge. The following was my contribution to the Thanksgiving feast:
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Pecans
1 lb.+ Brussels sprouts
6 slices pancetta (bacon is okay)
1 cup whole pecans
Oil (I use olive)
Vinegar (I use sherry vinegar)
Spices (definitely salt and pepper, but others as well - read on!)
Preheat oven to 350.
Trim the brussels sprouts by slicing the tough bottoms off of each, then cut lengthwise through the middle, and shred by slicing thinly crosswise. You might have to agitate them a little between your fingers to separate your shreds. You should end up with a pile of sprout shreds.
Chop your chosen pork product into small pieces. Fry in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Don't fry too quickly - you want to render out as much of the fat as possible. When done, remove solids from the pan, reserving the fat in the pan.
While bacon is rendering, slice pecans in half lengthwise. Toss is a bowl with a bit of oil and some spices - garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayene for example - then spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 until frangrant, about 10 minutes. (Watch carefully, so they don't burn!)
Back to your skillet. You should have a few teaspoons of pork fat rendered in the pan. If it looks dry, supplement with another fat (I use good lard but duck fat or olive oil would also work). Still over medium heat, toss in your shredded sprouts. Sprinkle liberally with salt, and toss as they wilt. Increase your heat slightly and continue to stir, scraping any porky fond from the bottom of the pan. Continue for about 10 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender. Grind some pepper over the top, and sprinkle generously with your vinegar of choice. Stir, then taste and adjust seasoning.
When properly cooked and seasoned, incorporate bacon and pecan pieces, and taste again. Fiddle with seasoning and taste. Repeat until satsified (or full).
Serve with roasted anything to amazed guests, or eat by the bowl.
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Pecans
1 lb.+ Brussels sprouts
6 slices pancetta (bacon is okay)
1 cup whole pecans
Oil (I use olive)
Vinegar (I use sherry vinegar)
Spices (definitely salt and pepper, but others as well - read on!)
Preheat oven to 350.
Trim the brussels sprouts by slicing the tough bottoms off of each, then cut lengthwise through the middle, and shred by slicing thinly crosswise. You might have to agitate them a little between your fingers to separate your shreds. You should end up with a pile of sprout shreds.
Chop your chosen pork product into small pieces. Fry in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Don't fry too quickly - you want to render out as much of the fat as possible. When done, remove solids from the pan, reserving the fat in the pan.
While bacon is rendering, slice pecans in half lengthwise. Toss is a bowl with a bit of oil and some spices - garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayene for example - then spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 until frangrant, about 10 minutes. (Watch carefully, so they don't burn!)
Back to your skillet. You should have a few teaspoons of pork fat rendered in the pan. If it looks dry, supplement with another fat (I use good lard but duck fat or olive oil would also work). Still over medium heat, toss in your shredded sprouts. Sprinkle liberally with salt, and toss as they wilt. Increase your heat slightly and continue to stir, scraping any porky fond from the bottom of the pan. Continue for about 10 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender. Grind some pepper over the top, and sprinkle generously with your vinegar of choice. Stir, then taste and adjust seasoning.
When properly cooked and seasoned, incorporate bacon and pecan pieces, and taste again. Fiddle with seasoning and taste. Repeat until satsified (or full).
Serve with roasted anything to amazed guests, or eat by the bowl.
posted by J. at 9:34 AM
1 Comments:
We riffed on this for T-giving and made believers out of the skeptics, further proving that pork truly can do anything. That said, this is a bacon and eggs morning.
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