bacon balsamic brussels sprouts (with asiago and caramelized onions)

Talk about a long title.  I thought the alliteration sounded catchy (but I had to be specific).



For those of you who saw the bacon picture on the OOT Facebook page, you might be in for a little disappointment  (I'm looking at you, Hong and David).  I know what you're thinking - you took bacon and you smothered it in green vegetables (I'm looking at you, Lucy)?!  It's like spinach ice cream all over again.



But really, this might be the most non-vegetable-y vegetable dish you've come across (with the exception of fried asparagus, or mashed potatoes, speaking of which, can we all come to the agreement that they don't count anymore?).  First of all, the dish starts with bacon, for goodness' sake.  Not extra virgin olive oil, but thick-cut, applewood smoked, non-diet-friendly bacon.  Thrown in a hot cast iron pan and tossed until crisp and swimming in rendered bacon fat.  Then onions, your plain old sitting-in-the-fridge onions, are thrown into this shimmering pool of indulgence and sautéed until their color and flavor are dramatically deepened and their loftiest dreams realized. Brussels sprouts, the supposed star, actually arrive third at the flavor party, after all their work is already cut out for them (bacon and onions are pretty good at that).  Seared and caramelized, they're topped with crumbles of crisp bacon, a generous handful of asiago cheese, and an over-the-top (literally. heh heh heh ok I really might lose readers like this) drizzle of balsamic reduction.  Bitter, sweet, salty, nutty, tangy.  Firm, crisp, tender, melty.  Red, yellow, green, white, brown.  It's such a veritable juggle fest in there, I imagined a dancing Anne Burrell as I took my first bite of lunch.





And if you were too lazy to read all that -

Cheese.
Caramelized Onions.

Balsamic.

Bacon.

COME ON.



Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts (with Asiago and Caramelized Onions)

I was first introduced to this flavor combination at a charming little French eatery called Bo Beau, and re-introduced to it at my former work place and favorite restaurant of all time (totally unbiased), Urban Plates in Del Mar.  The Bo Beau version is very similar to this except that it uses shards of parmesan, and Urban Plates uses asiago but no balsamic.  This recipe is inspired by both and attempts to be a combination of them.  That said, these sprouts would be great with parmesan, so feel free to use what you like (or what's on sale).

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 slices thick cut bacon
1/2 medium onion (if you could get your hands on Spanish onions, even better; I used brown and they were still tasty)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups brussels sprouts

1/4 cup asiago cheese

kosher salt, to taste

1. Make the balsamic vinegar reduction. So fancy schmancy - but not really. In a small nonstick frying pan over medium heat, pour in the balsamic vinegar.  It should start bubbling shortly; stir it occasionally with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until it is thickened considerably and the volume is reduced by 2/3.  The consistency shouldn't be runny, but should slowly drip off your spatula.  This should take less than five minutes, so don't leave the pan.  Turn off the heat and reserve the reduction in a small bowl for later.

2. Prepare the goods.  As you can see, I bought a huge stalk of brussels sprouts because it was cheaper that way, so I had to cut, soak, rinse, and pat them dry with a paper towel first.  This didn't take too long (five minutes tops), but by all means if you want to skip those steps feel free to buy ready-to-use ones in bags (they're still pretty cheap).  Remove any tough or dead-looking outer leaves, then halve the sprouts.  If some sprouts are especially large, quarter them, or if your sprouts are especially small, leave them whole.  Whatever you do, make sure they're all a similar size to ensure even cooking.  Slice your onion thinly.

3. Cook.  Start heating a pan (even better if it's cast iron) over medium high heat.  You want that thing really hot.  Chop the bacon into 1/4-inch thick pieces.  Add to the hot pan, and stir occasionally; cook until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the bacon to a small dish lined with a paper towel.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Stir occasionally, and cook until softened and deepened to a medium-brown color, about 15 minutes.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil at this point, and the brussels sprouts.  Toss to coat the sprouts evenly with onions and oil, then leave it alone for a couple minutes.  Gently stir and flip the sprouts every couple of minutes, so that they are evenly cooked and browned on the outside (they will not brown if you keep on touching them).  Do this for about 15 minutes, then taste one - when done, the sprouts should be firm but not crunchy.  Add in half a teaspoon of kosher salt and stir (adding the salt too early will draw out moisture and inhibit the browning).  Turn off the heat. Stir in the crumbled bacon, and top with shards of asiago (I just used a vegetable peeler; you can also grate it but I think the shards look prettier) and a generous drizzle of your balsamic reduction.  Bam.  Best side dish ever.

Leftovers?  They make for a killer frittata the next morning; just cut the sprouts into smaller pieces and add to your eggs and milk for your filling.