The Nearly Constant Gourmet

In a new and exciting feature, today we have a special culinary edition of The Nearly Constant Gardener where I will share a recipe as requested by my dear readers.

Unfortunately, my Brussels sprouts in the garden are still not ready to harvest so I'm buying them from the HEB like a sucker. As a kid I hated these things, but as I've aged (gracefully), my palette has become more tolerant of foods that aren't either deep-fried or made of chocolate. This is actually the second best way you could possibly eat Brussels sprouts.  The best way is, obviously, fried, and if you ever find yourself at Uchiko in Austin (and you should at some point), do not pass up the fried Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts and bacon

1lb fresh Brussels sprouts
4-5 strips of bacon
wine (to taste)
salt and pepper

Pour a glass of wine and drink a little before you get your hands all gross with the bacon. Chop the bacon into smallish pieces. Continue drinking wine. Cook bacon pieces over low heat in a large frying pan or skillet that has a lid until crispy and the fat is rendered.

While the bacon cooks, trim the stems off the sprouts and halve them (or quarter, if they're big) while drinking wine.

When the bacon is crispy, add the Brussels sprouts and 1/4 cup of water. Cover and cook on med-low heat about 5 min. If there is still wine in your glass (unlikely), continue drinking. Otherwise, refill glass and continue drinking.

Remove the cover, stir and cook until the sprouts are tender (10-15 min more) stirring occasionally. 

Sometimes, if I'm feeling really fancy, I'll toss it with a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar about a minute or so before they've finished cooking.

These also re-heat really well in the microwave, which makes them perfect for Pot-Lucks, BBQ's, or as leftovers.