First things first. Don't judge these brussels from your bad brussel sprout experiences. It's not fair to them. It's like leafy green profiling to think that these brussels are like all brussels. AND THEY'RE NOT.
They're so good, you won't believe them. Like so good that the day after I served them to several families, all three of the families contacted me for the recipe. So believe me when I tell you that you need to make these for your holiday table! I made them for Thanksgiving, and by gosh, I'm making them again for Christmas!
These little edible cabbage-y buds are seasoned, drizzled with olive oil and lemon, and then roasted with garlic and bacon for aMAZing flavor. That. Good. Char. Is. Key. Then they're drizzled in a honey balsamic glaze with a little hit of red pepper flakes for a surprise heat. So many flavors. You are going to love these. Love love love.
BACON AND BALSAMIC BRUSSEL SPROUTS
Serves 6-8
2lbs fresh brussel sprouts, stalks trimmed and halved
4-6 slices raw bacon, chopped into pieces
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Juice of one lemon
-for the glaze-
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
4 Tablespoons honey
Fresh rosemary leaves from 2 sprigs
½ tsp red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 425F. Put sprouts, bacon pieces, and garlic on a large sheet pan, doing your best to get the sprouts in a single layer and not piled on top of one another. Drizzle well with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with a good dose of salt and pepper. Rub around with your hands to coat. Spread back out into a single layer and bake in oven for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together the balsamic and honey. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, allowing to reduce for about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer brussels to a pretty serving bowl. Stir the rosemary and red pepper flakes to the glaze. Then pour over the brussels, stirring to combine.
