For most of my life I wouldn’t touch a Brussel sprout with a ten foot pole. They looked like suspicious little cabbages made for Lilliputians! But, then I have this food thing and my curiosity finally got the better of me. I combined two things I love most – roasted vegetables and bacon!! Roasting the sprouts separate and then combining at the end with the browned bacon and other veggies allows the sprout to roast. I like the spice profile and the little bit of browned sauce you get at the end. Of course, the bacon addition speaks for itself – although you could leave it out for a vegetarian version. If you do, add a little olive oil to get the onions and mushrooms to a nice brown.
My brothers even like these!!!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/2 lbs fresh brussel sprouts, trimmed with outside leaves removed and cut in half
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms (we like baby bellas)
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 1/2 medium onion sliced
- 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbs half and half or heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic cleaned and halved
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- salf and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375
Line a cookie sheet with foil. Drizzle the olive oil over the foil lined pan. Coat the Brussel sprouts in the oil on the cookie sheet and then turn cut side down. Place in the oven stirring occasionally. When the cut side starts to brown turn the sprouts and continue to roast. The little guys are done when an inserted fork or knife tells you they are tender. Start checking at the 15 minute mark. Remove and place in a glass bowl, drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, mix and set aside
While the sprouts are roasting, place the minced bacon in a pan over medium heat and begin to brown. When the bacon starts to brown, add the onions and mushrooms. You may need to add a little olive oil here if your bacon is very lean. You want just enough shortening in the pan so the bacon, mushrooms and onions don’t stick.
Once browned, add the sprouts. Add the seasonings and continue on the heat for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and mix again. You should end up with a light amount of sauce. Taste the seasonings and add a little more cream if necessary.
Notes
Let me know your questions, what you did different and any comments! Happy sprouting!!
