Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple Syrup #Recipe by @Leslie Karst

 

You may have guessed by now that I’m a big fan of Brussels sprouts. When I was a kid, however, I detested the things—bitter, green balls of dread, they were to me. But then years later I learned that it all depended on the method of cooking whether they tasted nasty or delicious. If you boiled the tiny cabbage-like veggies like my mom used to do, they’d turn bitter and sulfuric. But when sautéed or roasted, on the other hand, they caramelize and turn into crunchy and umami-packed delights!

 


For this one-pan recipe, I take advantage of the natural sweetness that emerges in the Brussels sprouts when roasted and incorporate a sweet-and-sour glaze that makes for the perfect contrast to the flavorful sprouts and fatty bacon. This dish works well either as a side, or it can become a full meal in and of itself when served topped with of a pair of poached eggs and/or some grated cheese.


Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple Syrup

(serves 2 as main dish, 4 as side)


Ingredients


1 lb. Brussels sprouts, quartered

½ lb. bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

¼ teaspoon granulated or powdered garlic

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons Maple syrup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt to taste (depending on how salty your bacon is)

poached eggs and/or grated cheese, for garnish (optional)

 





Directions


Preheat oven to 375º F.


Place the Brussels sprouts in a roasting pan, then top with the bacon and roast until the bacon has cooked through and the sprouts are starting to brown—about 20-30 minutes. (There’s no need to add any oil to the pan, as the bacon fat serves this purpose.)

 




Stir the bacon into the sprouts, then add the garlic, pepper, syrup and vinegar, and stir again.

 




Continue roasting until the sprouts are cooked through (another 5-10 minutes). Add salt to taste, if needed (if the bacon is salty, you may need none).

 

 

If serving with eggs, poach two eggs per person and place on top of the roasted sprouts. The dish can also be topped with grated cheese, for extra savoriness. 

 

 🌿 🐖 🌳


The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California. 
 
An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.


Leslie’s website
Leslie also blogs with Chicks on the Case
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Leslie on Instagram

Praise for Leslie's most recent Sally Solari mystery, the Lefty Award-nominated MURDER FROM SCRATCH:
“Karst seasons her writing with an accurate insider’s view of restaurant operation, as well as a tenderness in the way she treats family, death and Sally’s reactions to Evelyn’s blindness.”

Ellery Queen Magazine (featured pick)


All four Sally Solari Mysteries are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.


 

And Dying for a Taste, A Measure of Murder, and Murder from Scratch are now available as AUDIOBOOKS from Audible!







15 comments:

  1. thank you for sharing today. I make a similar version without the syrup, vinegar and eggs. I also like to do this to broccoli. I make a huge batch and freeze most of it in single servings

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    1. Yes, you can roast lots of kinds of veggies, and they're all so yummy! Good idea to make a lot and then freeze it, Lori!

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  2. Okay, this one got printed out IMMEDIATELY ;) I like everything about it -- that the sprouts are quartered and roasted at a relatively low heat so they can cook through without the tender leaves burning but still with some nice crispy browness (if that's a word) and that the garlic goes in half way through, again to avoid burning it. Brilliant.

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  3. looks amazing, thank you for sharing.

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  4. I absolutely LOVE brussel sprouts. I didn't try them till I was an adult and I couldn't understand the hate--they're basically mini cabbages and cabbage is one of my fave veggies. Adding this recipe to my list!

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  5. Very clever idea.
    A must for sprout lovers.

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  6. That sounds soooo good! I am the only one in the family who likes brussel sprouts but maybe this will change some minds and if not, more for me!

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    Replies
    1. Maple syrup and bacon can change a lot of minds, lol!

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  7. Love brussel sprouts. Can't wait to try the recipe.

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