Credit: Stephen Jackson
Sprouts can be absolutely brilliant accompaniments, if they’re prepared and cooked correctly. Without wanting to lower the tone, we are all aware of their, shall we say, ‘musical’ attributes, but this need not be the case if one takes a few careful steps to reduce the sprouts’ famous effects, whilst also toning down the mustardy harshness at which some people wrinkle their noses. The ‘double boil’ technique is essential for taming the perilous sprout!
This recipe is a classic accompaniment to any winter roast, as well as being all-but essential with the Christmas turkey. We’re combining lovely streaky bacon lardons from our friends at Porcus, sizzled to golden perfection alongside some lovely chopped chestnuts, and tossing these into our specially-prepared sprouts to make an immensely tasty side dish.
Ingredients
1 kilo fresh brussels sprouts
6 thick rashers good smoked bacon, cut into thick lardons
200g vac-packed chestnuts
100g butter
Salt and Freshly-ground black pepper
Method
Trim the sprouts of any shabby leaves using a small sharp knife.
Set a bowl to one side, filled with iced water.
Bring a large pan of just-salted water to the boil.
Plunge the sprouts into the water, return to the boil, and simmer for 2/3 minutes
Drain the sprouts and immediately tip into the iced water
Leave to cool and set another pan of salted water on to boil
Drain the sprouts again, keeping the iced water
When the water is boiling, toss in the sprouts and cook for a further 4/5 minutes, then drain and return to the iced water until cooled.
At this point you can set the sprouts aside until required (even overnight)
To prepare the dish, in a suitable pan for all the ingredients, sizzle the bacon in half the butter
When golden and crisp-edged, remove the lardons and set aside.
Toss the chestnuts into the pan, break them up a little and fry for a few minutes.
Add the sprouts (whole or halved), and sauté until the sprouts have started to caramelise at the edges.
Return the lardons to the pan.
Add the remaining butter and coat the sprouts, adding salt to taste and a few hefty grinds of black pepper.
Serve immediately (though they will hold well in a warm oven, covered in tinfoil)
