BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH PANCETTA, ALMONDS AND GREEN BEANS
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH EGG AND PARMESAN
I’m not the first person to compare the vegetable dishes of our childhood with the ones we eat today. Better now, not so palatable then. Especially the brassicas. (Sorry Mum! But I think you would agree that a nicely caramelised sprout is tastier than a soft boiled one.)
Now that we’ve discovered that Brussels sprouts really do taste good, we also find out how versatile they are. Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Almonds and Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts with Egg and Parmesan might give a nod to Italy but I think they’re better placed in the global ‘let’s all do something interesting with vegetables’ category.
Both recipes are easily adapted to other veggies too, so why not use them to vary the way you prepare your greens. You know what they say about variety.
Caren
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH PANCETTA, ALMONDS AND GREEN BEANS
Serves 4-6 as a side dish
½ cup almonds or hazelnuts
100 gm pancetta, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
20 Brussels sprouts, ends and outer leaves trimmed, cut in half
120 gm green beans, cut into 3-4cm lengths
2 green onions, finely sliced
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
Sea salt to taste
In a large frying pan dry fry the almonds until nicely coloured. Remove from the pan, chop roughly and set aside.
Add the pancetta to the pan and fry until the pieces are crisp. Set aside with the almonds. Wipe the pan with kitchen paper to remove most of the pancetta fat.
Heat the oil and butter in the pan and add the sprouts, cut side down. Fry until golden brown. Continue to cook for about 2 minutes, tossing the sprouts a few times.
Add the beans, half the green onions and the water. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sprouts and beans are just tender. Add more water if necessary. Return the pancetta and almonds to the pan with the parsley and toss.
Tip onto a serving plate and sprinkle over the remaining green onions and the chilli flakes. Season to taste.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH EGG AND PARMESAN
Serves 2 for a Sunday night dinner with a salad or 4 as an accompaniment to a main meal
500 gm Brussels sprouts
30 gm unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
30 gm fresh parmesan
2-4 eggs
Trim Brussels sprouts and remove and discard (or reserve for another use) all the dark outer leaves until you reach the very light and tender ones. Using a mandoline, finely shave one quarter of the trimmed Brussels sprouts. Reserve in a small bowl. Cut the remaining Brussels sprouts in halves lengthways.
Place the butter and olive oil in a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. Place the Brussels sprouts, cut side down into the pan and saute until light golden. Turn and continue to saute until the Brussels sprout are just tender. They should still have a bit of bite. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
Toss the shaved Brussels sprouts in the extra virgin olive oil and one teaspoon of the white wine vinegar. Reserve.
Using a microplane, grate the parmesan. Reserve.
Warm serving plate/plates.
Bring a pan of water and the remaining teaspoon of vinegar to the boil. Reduce the heat until you have bubbles on the base but no movement in the body of the water.
While the water is heating, arrange the halved Brussels sprouts on the warm serving plate/plates.
Use 4 eggs, if you’re serving 2 for a Sunday night meal or 2 eggs if you’re serving as an accompaniment to a meal. Crack the eggs into the barely bubbling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just set enough to transfer to the serving plates. The yolks should be runny.
Place eggs on top of the Brussels sprouts. Top with the dressed, shredded version, season to taste, then top with the parmesan. Serve immediately.