Brussel Sprouts

I am not the best recipe writer, I can develop the recipes but I always get hung up on the details. Does this person understand what I mean? Did I leave out a step? So now I just say start from where I am with what I have and I can make any adjustements on the way.

Culinary school taught me the concepts between Salt, Fat, Acid & Heat so I just don’t use recipes. This book is one of my new favorite resource books because of how it simply explains what professional and home cooks know.

You’re looking to reach the perfect axis of these 4 elements to make your dish taste it’s best. Food is living and organic, no elements are ever the same. The strawberries that I get from Virginia probably won’t taste like the ones that you get in Alabama. I know for sure that peaches just aren’t the same when you’re used to getting them from Clanton, Al. I’ve been thoroughly disappointed on several occasions. Recipes are guidelines but its important for you to know how these elements, plus the environment, will affect your food. Some food will need more or less salt, more than one type of acid or a shorter cooking time.

This is why you can’t be afraid to taste your food. It’s the only way that you will know if you are on the right track. Don’t be afraid to get lost in the food and taste your way out.

These brussel sprouts are a perfect example of that. If you’ve cooked with me enough then you know I love bacon fat. I’ll cook anything in it! I feel like it just gives everything a solid foundation, this is the fat/flavor foundation.

Render the bacon on med-low heat until it’s crispy, then remove to a napkin.

I then take sliced white (or your favorite) mushrooms and toss them in the bacon fat. On low heat I cook the mushrooms slow so that they release their liquids.

Add in your brussel sprouts at this point. I like to cut the ends of mine because I feel like they cook all the way through quickly and evenly. After this I just add salt, pepper and either fresh garlic or garlic powder. Chop up that bacon we sat aside and then mix it all together. It’s really that simple. Then saute for about 10 min or until tender.

You can even take this dish up a notch by drizzling some balsamic or a squeeze of lemon juice.

That’s it! I hope that you get to make this recipe and if you do please let me know!