Recipe: Bacon & Blue Cheese Brussels Sprouts

Bacon & Blue Cheese Brussels Sprouts

 

The easiest way, or at least the most delicious, to eat more greens is to add bacon. Roasted Brussels sprouts are a wonderful dish to have in the fall, and pairing them with the saltiness of bacon and blue cheese along with the sweetness of syrupy balsamic vinegar is a simple and easy win in the kitchen.

What you’ll need…

  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half through the core (include any loose leaves that fall off while cutting)
  • 4 thick cut bacon, diced
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar syrup (reduced balsamic glaze)
  • ½ cup blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place the Brussels sprouts in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper; scatter the bacon on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Roast the Brussels sprouts for 30 – 40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes to help the bacon fat coat the vegetables. * Brussels sprouts brown easiest when cut side is down.
  4. Remove from the oven and transfer to serving plate. Dress sprouts with balsamic vinegar and blue cheese. Dish is best served warm.

Recipe: Honey, Lemon and Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Although not everyone’s favourite vegetable, I do have a soft spot for brussels sprouts. I’ll eat them just about any way…Finely chopped in a salad, fried and, of course roasted. If you or someone in your life is not crazy about these green little guys, there’s always one thing that can make them better: Bacon! The brightness of the lemon, sweetness of the honey and saltiness of the bacon makes this dish the perfect side for dinner this winter!

What you’ll need…

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 lemon (zested and juiced)

2 tbsp liquid honey

1 tbsp camelina oil

2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

4 cups fresh brussels sprouts (trimmed and quartered)

4 strips double smoked, thick cut bacon (diced)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the first 7 ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together. Put the chopped brussels sprouts and bacon into a separate bowl, pour mixture over top and toss until well-coated.

Place brussels sprout and bacon mixture into a large baking dish and let roast in the oven until sprouts are tender and have begun to carmelize, about 20 minutes.

Serve hot, straight out of the oven!

Serves 3-4

Total cook time…25 min

Recipe: Beer Braised Pork Ribs with Brussels Sprouts

Beer Braised Pork Ribs with Brussels Sprouts

When the temperature dips, it’s time to start braising! Big Rock Brewery recently came out with their ‘Lumberjack’ sampler pack across Canada, so I took to experimenting with some of the seasonal brews in my kitchen. I made this hearty pork rib and brussels sprout dish in my slow cooker with minimal effort.

Nothing like throwing everything into one pot and letting it slow cook all day while you’re at work. No stress when it comes to dinnertime. It’s almost better the next day, when the ribs have extra time to chill (no pun intended) in their braising liquid to soak up all of the robust flavours!

What you’ll need…

1 rack pork back ribs (cut in half)

1 yellow onion (halved and thinly sliced)

3 cloves garlic

2 meyer lemons (1/2″ sliced)

1 leek (trimmed and quartered)

3 cups brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved)

1 24oz can diced tomatoes

1 bottle dark ale (I used Big Rock’s Twisted Antler Ale)

1 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 TBSP tomato paste

2 TBSP white wine vinegar

2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Place the first 6 ingredients in your slow cooker. Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well-incorporated. Pour contents of bowl into the slow cooker. Cover, turn to low heat and let braise for 4-5 hours.

Let cool slightly before serving. Serve on rice or

couscous.

Serves 4

Total cook time…5 hours