Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Bacon in a Mustard Cream

Submitted by Beamer42 on September 25, 2012 - 1:55pm
Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Bacon in a Mustard Cream

Summary

Yield
SourceCloset Cooking
Prep Time45 minutes
CategoryVegetables
CuisineAmerican

Description

When I am looking for side dishes for special meals this time of the year, brussels sprouts always come to mind as they are one of my favourite winter green vegetables. There are so many great ways to serve brussels sprouts and I have to say that a creamy gratin is top on my list, especially when you have the oven on already for something like the roast beef that I made on the weekend. As far as gratins go, this brussels sprouts gratin is pretty simple. You start out by blanching the brussels sprouts to make sure that when they come out of the oven they are nice and tender and fully cooked. Salty and smoky bacon pairs particularly well with brussels sprouts and I always enjoy adding them to a brussels sprouts gratin! Next up is the creamy sauce which I like to start out with sauteing some diced onions and garlic before moving on to making the bechamel sauce with the butter, flour and milk. For this gratin a tried something a little different and I added some grainy mustard to the mix to add a bit of a kick and a nice contrasting texture along with a bit of colour. Now you could throw the gratin into the oven like this but a crunchy crust is always nice and super easy to make with some panko bread crumbs mixed up with some finely grated cheese.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb brussels Sprouts trimmed and cut in half
  • 4 oz bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp grainy mustard
  • 1 cup parm cheese grated
  • 1/2 cup panko

Instructions

Blanch the brussels sprouts until just tender and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a pan, set it aside and drain all but a tablespoon of the grease.

Add the butter to the pan and let it melt and then bubble.

Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Mix in the flour and let simmer until it just starts to brown a little.

Mix in the milk, nutmeg, mustard, salt and pepper and half of the cheese and heat until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens.

Mix brussels sprouts and bacon into the sauce and pour into a baking dish.

Mix the bread crumbs and the remaining cheese and sprinkle on top of the brussels sprouts.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven until it is bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 15-20 minutes.

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