Reply #153: Ack! No, here's what you do: [View All]

[Whitacre D_WI]

Blanch the Brussels sprouts. You want 'em to stay nice 'n' green, because you've gotta cook 'em for a while to kill the bitterness. After blanching, cut the sprouts in half.

Heat a nice saute pan. Throw in some pancetta (mmmmm... pancetta).

Once some of the fat has been rendered out, and the pancetta is crispy, take the bacon out the pan and throw in the sprouts.

Cook them. Cook them a good, long time until they're nice and browned on the edges (especially the cut surface). Have somebody less sproutphobic than you taste one to make sure they're no longer bitter.

Add the pancetta back to the pan. Grind in some pepper, salt as well if the cured pork didn't salt it up enough already.

Then...

Toss in a wee bit of good balsamic vinegar. Not the Heinz "balsamic vinegar" you can get for $2, but real Balsamico de Modena (but I think you already knew that, SOteric). That's the key. The balsamic will neutralize most of the remaining bitterness, and round out your sprouts to be just about the finest veggie side you've ever had.

I think it was you who talked about balance between flavors. If this dish is made right, you will find perfect balance between bitter (sprouts), sweet, sour (balsamic), salt (bacon), and even umami (pancetta and balsamic).

It's like heaven on a plate, and you get to eat your vegetables, too!