Brussel Sprouts Recipe
Smoked bacon lardon with parmesan & lemon zest
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Ingredients
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Brussels sprouts & main
Seasoning & finishing
Method
Preparation
Prep sprouts
Trim the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts and remove any yellow or loose outer leaves. Cut larger sprouts in half lengthwise so all pieces are roughly the same size; leave small ones whole.
Prep bacon
If not already lardons, cut smoked bacon into 1/4-inch strips. Pat slightly dry with paper towel if very wet.
Zest the lemon until you have about 1 tablespoon of bright yellow zest. Finely mince 1 clove of garlic. Grate the Parmesan if not pre-grated.
Cooking
Render bacon
Place a large skillet (preferably cast-iron or heavy-bottomed) over medium heat. Add the bacon lardons and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the lardons are browned and crisp at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Remove lardons with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.
Sear sprouts
Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to the hot bacon fat if the pan looks dry. Increase heat to medium-high. Arrange Brussels sprouts cut-side down in a single layer. Let them sear undisturbed until the cut faces develop a deep golden-brown color, about 4–5 minutes.
Toss and cook through
Stir the sprouts, add the minced garlic and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender when pierced with a fork and have some browned spots, about 6–8 more minutes. If pan becomes too dry or sprouts are browning too quickly, add 1–2 tablespoons water and cover briefly (1–2 minutes) to steam and finish cooking, then uncover and let excess moisture evaporate.
Finish with bacon & seasoning
Return the cooked bacon lardons to the pan along with the lemon zest and optional 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Toss to combine and heat through for 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.
Plating & finishing
Transfer the Brussels sprouts and bacon to a serving dish. While hot, sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly over the sprouts so it slightly melts into the warm vegetables. Optionally finish with a light drizzle (about 1/2 tsp) of olive oil or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for extra brightness.
Serve immediately as a side dish.