Braised Brussel Sprouts

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Winter and all I seem to be eating lately is cabbage, in its various forms. Like Sauerkraut, or this Napa, Kumquat Salad, or Turkey Cabbage Rolls, or Lemony Brussels Sprouts, the list goes on… For versatility of use, the Brassica family of veggies is almost unsurpassed. I am just saying, ‘almost’ because there might be something else out there that I have not come across yet 🙂

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For the Braised Brussels Sprouts, I added just a bit of Speck and some Thyme Garlic Basting oil for flavor, the rest of the dish is accomplished by the main player, the Brussels sprouts. If you’re worried, the flavor here is not strong, the braising really mellows the flavor and brings out an almost creamy quality in this lovely vegetable.

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This is soooo good, I think I could live on it for the rest of my life!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, cleaned
  • 2″ piece of thick cut Speck (or Bacon, 1/4″ thick by 2″ long)
  • 2-3 tblsp garlic thyme basting oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Cut the cleaned Brussels Sprouts into 3-4 slices, (usually I cut from top to stem, length wise, so they don’t totally fall apart, but as you can see in the pictures it works the other way, too)
  2. Dice the Speck piece into stick and then into 1/4″ cubes
  3. Heat a skillet over medium, add the Speck or bacon bits and cook for a minute or until the fatty parts begin to look transparent and start releasing some of the fat. (If you use bacon, there most likely is more fat on the bits and you could reduce the amount of basting oil you add)
  4. Add the Garlic Thyme Basting Oil
  5. Add the Brussels Sprouts and stir. Cook 2-3 minutes, then  add 1/4 cup water and cover the pan. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the Brussels sprouts are tender (Depending on your taste, you can cook them until they still have a bit of a bite to them or cook further until creamy soft)
  6. Uncover, season with salt, stir to combine and serve!

Serves 3-4 as a side dish (depending on love of Brussels Sprouts, here it’s more like 3)

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