Cook Brussels Sprouts in 3 Ways

Ingredients

• 500 g Brussels Sprouts (trimmed and cleaned)
• 95 g Unsalted Butter (divided: 32.5 g for leek, 30 g for bacon, remainder for optional use)
• 1 Leek (washed, sliced into 1 cm pieces)
• 3 cloves Garlic (peeled and sliced)
• 8 slices Bacon (cut into strips)
• 1 medium Red Onion (diced finely)
• 50 g Mixed Nuts (roughly chopped; peanuts and almonds used)
• 20 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for tossing sprouts before roasting)
• 0.5 tsp Red Chili Flakes (adjust to taste)
• 80 g Parmesan Cheese (grated; reserve a small amount for finishing)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black Pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. Trim the sprouts

   Remove the sprouts from the stalk, cut off any tough root ends and discard outer leaves that look wilted.

   Time: PT5M

2. Bring salted water to a boil

   Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

3. Blanch the sprouts

   Add the trimmed sprouts to the boiling water (in batches if needed), cover, and cook for 4–5 minutes until just tender and bright green.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

4. Shock in ice water

   Immediately transfer the blanched sprouts to a bowl of ice‑cold water, stirring occasionally to keep them cool.

   Time: PT2M

5. Drain and set aside

   Drain the sprouts in a colander and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

   Time: PT2M

6. Prepare buttered leek & garlic ingredients

   Wash the leek, slice lengthwise, then cut into 1 cm pieces. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves.

   Time: PT5M

7. Cook leeks in butter

   Melt 32.5 g butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the leeks, season with a pinch of salt, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium heat (~150°C pan surface)

8. Add garlic

   Add the sliced garlic to the skillet and cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium heat

9. Combine sprouts with leek‑garlic butter

   Add the blanched sprouts to the skillet, toss to coat, and heat through for 4–5 minutes until the centre is piping hot.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium heat

10. Plate buttered leek sprouts

    Transfer the finished sprouts to a serving dish and keep warm.

    Time: PT1M

11. Prepare smoky bacon ingredients

    Slice the bacon into strips, dice the red onion finely, and roughly chop the mixed nuts.

    Time: PT5M

12. Render bacon in butter

    Melt 30 g butter in a clean skillet over medium heat, add the bacon strips and cook until the fat renders and the bacon begins to crisp, about 5 minutes.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: Medium heat

13. Add onion and nuts

    Stir in the diced red onion and chopped nuts, cooking 3–4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.

    Time: PT4M

    Temperature: Medium heat

14. Combine sprouts with bacon mixture

    Add the remaining blanched sprouts, toss to coat in the bacon fat, and heat for 5 minutes until hot throughout.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: Medium heat

15. Plate smoky bacon sprouts

    Transfer to a serving dish and set aside.

    Time: PT1M

16. Preheat oven

    Preheat a fan oven to 190°C.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 190°C

17. Season sprouts for roasting

    Halve the remaining blanched sprouts, place in a mixing bowl, drizzle with 20 ml olive oil, add salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 0.5 tsp red chili flakes. Toss until evenly coated.

    Time: PT5M

18. Arrange on tray and add Parmesan

    Line a baking tray with parchment paper, spread the seasoned sprouts in a single layer, flat‑side down, and grate most of the Parmesan (about 70 g) over the top, reserving a small amount for finishing.

    Time: PT3M

19. Roast until crisp

    Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the Parmesan is golden and crisp and the sprouts develop a slight char.

    Time: PT25M

    Temperature: 190°C

20. Break up roasted sprouts

    Remove from oven, let cool 1 minute, then break the sprouts apart with two spoons to separate the crispy Parmesan bits.

    Time: PT2M

21. Serve all three preparations

    Arrange the three sprout dishes on a serving platter or serve individually. Enjoy warm.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

210

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

5 g