How to Cook Braised Brussels Sprouts

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Ingredients needed to make Braised Brussels Sprouts:

• 1 ½ lb Brussels sprouts, stems trimmed and outer leaves peeled off
• 10 chestnuts, roasted, peeled and quartered
• 2 cups pearl onions, peeled
• 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ lb double-smoked bacon slices, diced
• 1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Cooking instructions for Braised Brussels Sprouts:

• Pour water into a large pot and stir in enough salt to make it taste salty.
• Bring the salted water to boil over high flame.
• Fill half of a bowl with water and plop in several ice cubes to fill up the rest; set aside.
• Drop the Brussels sprouts into the boiling salted water and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until they soften yet retain their crispness.
• Tip them into a colander to drain and transfer them to the ice water bath right away.
• Once cooled, drain them out onto a chopping board and slice them into equal halves.
• Heat a large skillet over moderate flame and toss the bacon slices into it.
• Fry for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until they turn crispy golden brown and drain them out onto a plate, lined with paper towel, using slotted spoon.
• Dump the onions into the same pan and stir fry at low flame for about 10 minutes or until they caramelize.
• Stir in the chestnuts and continue to cook further for another couple of minutes, stirring often, until coated well with bacon drippings and heated through.
• Return the fried bacon into the pan, along with the Brussels sprouts and stir them all together to mix well.
• Pour in the chicken broth and place a lid on to cook at high heat until it starts boiling.
• Reduce it to a simmer and continue to cook likewise until the Brussels sprouts are warmed through.
• Add a knob of butter and give it a nice stir along with a dash of seasonings until well combined.
• Transfer it to a serving bowl and top it up with fresh thyme leaves.
• Serve right away.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons