Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts
The weather has cooled down here in Brisbane over the past week or two and it’s got me cooking all sorts of mid winter dishes. This Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts is a classic example! We first fell in love with well cooked brussels sprouts after having them in Las Vegas many years ago. There have been many an attempt t recreate the dish since then and this dish is reminiscent of what we ate that night.
Brussels sprouts are such a divisive vegetable too. You either love them or hate them . But this dish is the kind of dish that will convert a non-eater to a huge fan. The saltiness from the bacon, the crunch from the pinenuts and the zing from the vinegar provide such a perfect balance of flavour for the brussels. You just keep going back for more. They truly go from bland to magnificent!
The trick is to be careful not to overcook the brussels as that can make the whole dish bitter. You want them to be soft but not mushy, and with a lovely caramelised exterior from the cooking.
I like to serve these brussels sprouts with bacon with a well cooked steak or roast chicken. And it is just perfect when the weather gets cold!
