Brussels Sprouts
Now that we’re done with poop for a while, I have a recipe I need to share.
My GBF’s boyfriend, D, made this for Sparky and I while we were in SF. It is so fabulous, I can’t even tell you.
D makes fabulous food. My GBF makes fabulous food too. When he and I worked together, he’d bring lunch for me sometimes. We’re talking coc au vin and fish baked in parchment paper. So you can imagine, if that was what I got for lunch, dinner was like hitting the power lotto.
AN ASIDE: Why has no one told me about tegut... Fantastic fish and the closest thing to an American grocery store in Deutschland. I'm pissed it took me so long to find it. We had the best halibut on Sunday night. You all should be jealous.
Anyway, I don’t have a picture because I haven’t made it yet, but try it. Even if you don’t like Brussels sprouts, this recipe is a winner. I’m not sure where he got it, but the recipe below is written from his memory.
Brussels Sprouts Hash with Pancetta
serves 4
2 Tbs butter
4 slices pancetta (5mm thick, 0.1kg? *)
2 shallots, finely chopped
20 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced cross-wise (parallel with base) 1/8-inch thick.
salt to taste (I don't think I salted-the pancetta is kinda salty)
Coarsely chop the pancetta (1-inch pieces). Warm the butter in a fry pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium low. Add the shallots and cook slowly, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent.
Return the heat to medium (or medium high), add the sliced Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring regularly, until they're done (tender but not mushy - still a bit of bite). I really don't have a clear idea of how long this takes, but it's somewhere between 4 and 10 minutes, I'm guessing.
You want to hear some crackle when the sprouts cook -- like a good stir-fry. If they cook too slowly or too cool they'll be soggy, but if it's too hot they'll burn. I guess once the sprouts are in you'll want to turn the heat to medium high, hover around the stove, stir every 30 or 60 second or so, and adjust the heat so this rhythm makes sense. It's a high maintenance finish, so for best effect (which I did not fully achieve) everything else should be done or easy to finish before serving. Not to worry, the pancetta covers all manner of preparation mis-steps.
posted by jen @ 9:02 PM
10 Comments:
Tegut is an excellant supermarket. There are a couple in Marburg. The fish & vegetables are always excellant.
You know what fish is kickass? Pangasius. I'm not a seafood person and I always have favoured freshwater fish. The pangasius is basically from the carp family and it's yum.
ok onto the sprouts.....just ewwww. I have bad memories of the smell as my father lovingly cooked them.
(btw- the poop pics were funny, your blog name finally came into play)
Haddock: well, thanks for the tip, buddy.
I've to go to Strasbourg for our fish. While it seems romantic and worldly to have to drive to FRANCE to pick up fresh fish, I much prefer down the street.
B: Thanks for the tip, for real. I'll look for it.
And these BS are so good. I don't remember the smell of them cooking, but i might have been because of the super strength cocktails S made us. Passionate Parisians. ooh la la.
Lisa: I know, picture removal was requested by a power that be.
2.) no prob. its a fantastisch rezept
3.)Pancetty is an Italian bacon cured with spices and salt, but not smoked. I haven't looked for it here yet, but when i do, I'll let you know where to find it. I doubt it will be in Aldi, Lidl, Penny or Netto. I'm betting on tegut... actually, but then again, its my tegut... is my new favorite place to hang out.
tegut... really had the elipse in the brand.
(Confused)when I look the poo pic is still there, hindering and but blocking my appreciation of the recipe. Even after being in this scatilogically-obsessed country for three years, I'm still not all that down with the brown (and yellow).
Ooops. Okay, I fixed it. No more poop.
No Tegut here either, but I know that neither Aldi, Lidl, Penny or whatever would carry pancetta. Maybe Edeka or Real around these parts.
That recipe sounds great - I like brussels sprouts anyway, and I'm STILL compiling a list of veg recipes to send to you.
Glad the poop is gone. Brought back fond memories of my brother who would do that AND use half a roll of toilet paper. The person who actually dared to flush for him always got the surprise.
L-dog: yeah, its a phat phrase for wha up.
seriously, its a store here in Hesse and its like a german version of Whole Foods. I was very happy to find it, obwohl es sehr teuer ist.
C: Ah, I'm slowing down on the cooking. If i must learn german, i must cut back elsewhere, like cooking and polishing knobs.
And My brother is just as guilty as mim. the two of them are wretched bathroom mates.
I made the brussel sprouts from your blog but. . (please dont be mad) I bastardized the recipe a bit. My wife bought brussel sprouts and I had dinner duty and remembered the GBF recipe. .Hmm, didn't have pancetta. . used bacon. . didnt have shallots. .used a half an onion. It came out great, my wife loved it and wants me to make it for her brothers. We had it with a chicken breast.Thank you for the recipe and thank you for your blog which I read every day!
Thanks DD. I'll let my GBF-BF know. I've been putting it off because of the pancetta which i can't find in this land of kraut sausage. good to know improvising with bacon works. cool deal. I'll try it now.
I myself have substituted bacon & onion in a pinch. Still delightful, but I do fancy the pancetta.
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