Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Bacon

Name: Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 kg of Brussels Sprouts; Salt; 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil; 50 g of Butter; 200 g of Bacon; 200 g of Chestnuts; 1 Lemon; Black Pepper

Halved Brussels sprouts blanched, then tossed in butter with crisp smoked bacon and chestnuts: the classic British Christmas side.

Recipe Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Bacon

Difficulty Easy
Preparation 15 minutes
Cooking 15 minutes
Servings for 8 people

Brussels sprouts are the most talked-about vegetable of a British Christmas dinner, and this is the way that wins most people over: halved sprouts blanched for a few minutes, then fried in butter with crisp smoked bacon and sweet, crumbly chestnuts.

The sprouts stay green and slightly crunchy, without the cabbage smell of long boiling, and the bacon and chestnuts give them a nutty, savory flavor that suits roast turkey, goose and glazed ham.

The sprouts can be blanched hours ahead, so the last step takes less than ten minutes while the turkey rests.

Ingredients for 8 people

1 kg of Brussels Sprouts trimmed
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
50 g of Butter
200 g of Bacon smoked streaky, cut into lardons
200 g of Chestnuts cooked and peeled, roughly chopped
1 Lemon zest and a squeeze of juice
Black Pepper freshly ground, to taste

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Method

Trim the base of the Brussels sprouts, pull off any damaged outer leaves and cut them in half from top to bottom.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the sprouts and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender but still bright green. Drain, cool them quickly in iced or very cold water and drain again well. You can do this several hours ahead.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Add the chopped chestnuts, then the sprouts, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing often, until everything is hot and the sprouts are golden at the edges.
Grate over the lemon zest, add a squeeze of juice and season with black pepper and a little salt if needed. Toss and serve straight away in a warm dish. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

Use diced pancetta instead of bacon, or leave out the lemon and finish with a grating of nutmeg. For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon, add a little more butter and a handful of toasted hazelnuts. The sprouts can also be shredded and stir-fried raw with the bacon and chestnuts.

Tips

Halving the sprouts lets them cook evenly and take on the flavor of the bacon; there is no need to cut a cross in the base. Cool them quickly after blanching so they keep their bright green color. Vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts save a lot of time. Season with salt only at the end, because the bacon is already salty.

Storage

Best eaten straight away. Leftovers keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days and are good fried again with leftover potatoes as bubble and squeak.