This recipe is inspired by British chef Nigel Slater’s book, Tender, Volume I, A Cook and His Vegetable Patch. Slater calls for blanching the whole Brussels sprouts before sauteing them in the bacon fat. Shredding the Brussels sprouts allows you to skip that step and yields a slaw-like side dish that’s great with roast beef, pork or fish. Juniper berries have an astringent quality that’s a nice counterpoint to the earthy sprouts and smoky bacon. If you don’t have them on hand, substitute a splash of gin (which is made from juniper berries) or, in a pinch, a squeeze of lemon. I like to season this dish with flaky Maldon salt, which comes from the town of Maldon, not far from where my husband’s family lives in Essex.
Ingredients
- 1 slice thick cut smoked bacon (2 ounces), chopped
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved and thinly sliced
- 20 juniper berries, lightly crushed
- flake sea salt (such as Maldon), to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook 6-8 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and has rendered its fat. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel. Increase heat to medium-high. Add Brussels spouts to drippings in pan, and saute 2-3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir in juniper berries. Season with salt and pepper.
Servings: 4
Want to learn how to master nourishing, easy weeknight meals (without spending hours in the kitchen)?Click here to register for my free training!
