makes perfect

Okay, crazy Angie strikes again. I know I'm gonna want brussel sprouts on t-day. I love them, in our house we eat them 1-2 times per week in the fall. I like them roasted, fried, hashed, shaved into salads.

But for some reason, you mention this vegetable to a 50something and their face gets all mashed up and gaggy. It's their memories of the little guys being shoved down their face after being abused in a pot of boiling water or even worse; made from a frozen block of horrificness. Really, what is worse than the taste of a boiled cruciferae? Oh, wait, i know, THE SMELL?!

 But this dish, this is the one that brings them back into the present. The crunchy, earthy little babies rolling around in pork fat* next to sweet little morsels of shallot. This is the stuff dreams are made of. Or, just mine, maybe.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Turkey Bacon and Pecans

1 lb turkey bacon, cut into small strips
1 cup pecans
4 medium shallots, halved and sliced
2 lbs brussel sprouts, core cut off and halved (leave whole if they're little)
salt + fresh pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a large (two if you need to) oven proof skillet add in strips of bacon and turn on pan. When it begins to sizzle, move them around to crisp. If the bacon is very lean (when using turkey) add in some olive oil. Add in nuts to toast.  After bacon has crisped and the nuts smell toasty, remove from pan, reserve.
3. Add in sprouts and shallots to pans, season with salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes until browned evenly and tender. Add back in reserved bacon and nuts, season to taste.


 *I made this version kosher for my in laws, feel free to use pancetta or just straight up slab bacon.