Brussels sprouts don’t have to be the bland, bitter side dish many people dread.
Plenty of folks turn their noses up at Brussels sprouts, anticipating them to be mushy, tasteless and sharp. However, they can become one of the most delicious accompaniments on your plate with just a bit of assistance. Mary Berry champions two straightforward ingredients that utterly revolutionise them. Her technique elevates their taste and introduces a satisfying crunch.
Using her ingenious approach, even the staunchest sprout-sceptics could find themselves won over. So what are these flavoursome additions? According to BBC Food: “Mary Berry’s Brussels sprouts come with a generous helping of bacon and chestnuts to make them special. It’s a simple recipe – just what’s needed for Christmas dinner when there’s already so much to do.”
This recipe, featured on BBC Food, requires under 30 minutes of preparation time and between 10 to 30 minutes of cooking for six servings. For alternative Brussels sprout cooking techniques, James Martin’s approach is available by clicking here.
How to make Mary Berry’s Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 900g of small Brussels sprouts
- 50g of butter
- 200g of thinly sliced pancetta or bacon
- One onion
- 225g frozen chestnuts, defrosted and halved
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
First, remove any loose or damaged exterior leaves from the sprouts, tidy up the base and cut each one neatly in half straight through the root.
Place the prepared sprouts into a saucepan of rapidly boiling, salted water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they begin to soften whilst maintaining their firmness. “Ensure that the sprouts are at room temperature when you add them to the pan – if they are added straight from the fridge, they take too long to heat through,” advised the chef.
After draining them thoroughly, refresh them in a bowl of cold water to maintain their vibrant green hue and halt further cooking.
Melt half the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. As the butter begins to foam, sprinkle in the pancetta and let it sizzle for three to four minutes until the pieces become wonderfully crisp and golden.
Use a slotted spoon to remove them and set aside on kitchen paper while you carry on with the pan. Add the remaining butter to the same pan, letting it melt before stirring in the chopped onion and chestnuts.
Cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion softens and the chestnuts start to colour. Return the crispy pancetta to the pan and mix everything together.
Once more, drain the sprouts well, then fold them into the mixture, ensuring each piece is well coated. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve piping hot.
