Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

Well, as I mentioned yesterday, pork has been heavily featured in my "diet" lately. Last week I was cooking up a storm. Partly to have some work lunches and partly to heat myself up in LA's super cold temps. A lot of my posts lately seem to come from The Kitchn. They always seem to know what I want to eat and this was no exception. I had recently picked up some wonderful brussels sprouts at the Hollywood farmers market. Unfortunately for me, I don't own a large food processor or mandoline so the main task was shredding the sprouts with just my knife, but I tried to make it fun by playing dance music and got the task over with in no time. I have only truly enjoyed brussels sprouts by roasting them in the recent future, but I have to say, pork fat and crunchy pine nuts add a nice layer. I would definitely add some balsamic vinegar to this mix for a nice tangy note the next time I make it, but this dish as is with a little sprinkle of Parmesan got a thumbs up from my work colleagues (something which always seems to justify my cooking).






Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
(Lightly Adapted from The Kitchn)



Makes about 3 servings

1 pound brussels sprouts, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil (as needed)
4 pieces of bacon, sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season generously with salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until fairly crispy and cooked through. Clear some space in the middle of the pan and add the shallots and garlic. (If you don't have enough room in your pan to create space, you can remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and add it back in when you add the sprouts.) Cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallots are soft.

While the shallots are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

Add the brussels sprouts and the chicken broth to the large skillet, season with salt and pepper, and toss all of the ingredients together. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the brussels sprouts are tender but not too soft, about 5 minutes.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and add it to the skillet. You can add a splash of the pasta water (or more broth) if the mixture seems dry. Add the pine nuts, toss everything together, season to taste, and serve.

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