Do you love Brussels sprouts? It seems people either love ‘em or hate ‘em. This recipe is the reason I love them.
There is a local pizza shop in our town that serves great pizza, but their Brussels sprouts are, in my opinion, “to die for.” Over the years, I have attempted a home version on several occasions and gave my resulting dishes mixed scores.
So, I put on my test kitchen hat and got serious about it. That means my patient husband tasted batch, after batch, after batch one weekend. Is this one better? Did changing the cooking time make them better or worse? Maybe the cooking temperature affects it more? Throw that one away, and try again. Make notes. Evaluate. Try again. (Roxanne and I spent many years in a test kitchen, so that is how we roll.)
Finally, I am pleased with the result and I am excited to share the recipe with you. It is now a very easy recipe to prepare and is a great dish to make and serve with all kinds of main dishes. It is tasty today with simple grilled chops and will be equally wonderful in the fall when Brussels sprouts and cranberries are especially popular flavors.
Is it exactly like the pizza shop—no, and an exact copy of the recipe was not my goal. I will still go there to order theirs. But I love this dish, too, and will serve it often.
Fire Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Almonds
1 pound Brussels Sprouts, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 ounce pancetta, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
Preheat grill to medium-high with indirect heat. (About 400ºF.)
Cut any large Brussels Sprouts in half. Combine Brussels Sprouts, 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste, in a zip-top bag. Seal and shake to coat evenly.
Place the empty skillet on the hot grill over the indirect heat and allow it to preheat about 2 minutes, or just until the skillet is hot. Pour the Brussels Sprouts into the skillet. Cover the grill and cook 20 minutes, or until Brussels Sprouts are almost tender, stirring every 5 minutes. Stir in pancetta, cover grill and cook 5 minutes or until Brussels Sprouts are just tender and pancetta is brown and crisp. Stir in almonds and cook 1 minute or until almonds are toasted. Remove from heat.
Stir in cranberries. Set aside.
Whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the Brussels Sprouts into a serving bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to coat well.
Makes 4 servings.
Tips
Have you ever cooked fresh Brussels sprouts? Select medium sized ones, and for the most even cooking, select ones that are similar in size. Trim off the stem and any loose, dry or pale leaves. Wash, drain and cook.
Can you substitute bacon? Sure, but pancetta is a mild flavor is sliced very thin. Bacon may require 1 to 2 minutes more cooking time, so you may want to add it a little earlier.
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