Charred Brussels Sprouts With Bacon And Maple Food

MAPLE BACON BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Steps:

• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. For easy clean up, line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place the Brussels sprouts in the center. (If you prefer not to use foil, cook the Brussels sprouts directly on the pan or use a silicone baking mat.)
• Cut the bacon crosswise into ¼-inch pieces. Place them on top of the Brussels sprouts. Drizzle the pan with the olive oil and maple syrup and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently mix until the Brussels sprouts are evenly coated, then spread them into a single layer on the baking sheet, breaking apart the bacon and scattering it evenly throughout. For even better crisping, flip the Brussels sprouts so that they are all cut side down.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are lightly charred and crisp on the outside and tender in the center and the bacon is crisp. The outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts will be very dark too (this is the caramelized maple syrup; they taste amazing). Watch carefully towards the end of the baking time, as the cooking time will vary based on the size of your sprouts. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Enjoy hot.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Brown bacon in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan, 1 turn. Add shallots to the pan and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts and coat in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook Brussels sprouts 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften, then add broth. Bring broth to a bubble, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 10 minutes, until tender. Transfer sprouts to a serving dish with a slotted spoon and top with cooked bacon bits.

MAPLE BACON BRAISED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Steps:

• Rinse the Brussels sprouts under cold water and reserve on a dry cloth to dry. Once dry, cut each sprout into quarters and place aside.
• Place the bacon strips on a cutting board and cut into 3/4-inch strips. In a medium saute pan, heat the lardons over medium heat until crisp. Strain the lardons out of the pan and place on paper towels. Keep the bacon fat in the pan, add the butter and heat until melted. Once the butter is melted, add the Brussels sprouts and stir frequently. Saute until the sprouts begin to brown. Add the lardons back to the sprouts and add the maple syrup. Heat until the syrup appears to stick to the Brussels sprouts and a deep caramelization is reached. Season with the salt and pepper.

BACON-MAPLE SPROUTS

Steps:

• Crank the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the bacon on a rimmed half sheet pan (a lip is important as there will be a fair amount of fat). Roast, flipping halfway through, until crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven and transfer the bacon slices to paper towels to drain. Carefully pour the bacon fat from the sheet pan into a small heatproof bowl and reserve both the fat and the sheet pan. Keep the oven on.
• While the bacon is making the kitchen smell awesome, trim the dry ends from the sprouts remove any yellow outer leaves, and halve the sprouts longitudinally. Cut the apple by quartering, then remove and discard the core. Slice each quarter lengthwise into thirds, then cut crosswise into fourths to yield 12 pieces. Do not peel the apple!
• In a large bowl, toss the sprouts and apple pieces with 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and spread in an even layer on the reserved sheet pan, placing as many sprouts cut side down as possible. Reserve the bowl.
• Roast until the sprouts are browned and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (A little char is a good thing.)
• While the sprouts and apple cook, whisk the mustard and the syrup together in the reserved large bowl. Coarsely chop the bacon.
• When the sprouts are brown, return them to the bowl and toss with the mustard-maple mixture. Plate and top with the bacon.

MAPLE ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place Brussels sprouts in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup; toss to coat. Sprinkle with bacon; season with salt and black pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven until bacon is crispy and Brussels sprouts are caramelized, 45 minutes, stirring halfway through.