Put a little Bacon in your Sides

Sometimes salad just does not cut it. With the colder weather coming in we all look to the warmth of a good home cooked meal after a long day. Roasts, potatoes, and some sort of vegetable based side can be, to some, a perfect meal. The vegetables can vary from peas and carrots to corn or even a soup. The preparation can be simple when boiled but with a little bit of effort even brussel sprouts can be made into an excellent side to go next to a roast of beef or pork.

Winter dishes as a whole are hearty by nature. Soups and stews can often rise to the occasion but every now and again we all need something we can stick a fork into. Roasts are often reserved for weekend fare due to the length of preparation because lets face it, after a long day at the office not many of us have the energy to put in 2 or more hours in the kitchen. This weekend why not try something a little different and make our bacon coated, spiced brussel sprouts.

Ingredients:

10 brussel sprouts – quartered

1 Onion – diced

¼ LB. bacon, cut into squares

2 tsp. thyme

Cook sliced bacon in large pan until bacon is mostly cooked and fat rendered

Drain 2/3 of the fat and brown chopped onions.

Once translucent add chopped brussel sprouts and add 2 tsp. of thyme.

Cook on medium low heat with lid on to steam the sprouts for approximately 15
minutes, stirring or mixing occasionally.

Plate and Serve.

When putting a roast dinner together the focus is mostly on the meat and potatoes…literally. While it is understandable a little more effort put into the vegetables could be the difference between them ending up on the floor or in the stomach. To those who enjoy brussel sprouts their pairing with bacon is second nature. With the addition of the onions and thyme this dish gets a little boost in terms of flavour. Next time you find yourself with a roast in the oven, think about putting together this recipe for brussel sprouts and you will be surprised at just how few are left at the end of the meal