Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Cream Sauce
January 28, 2019 by Nicole Collins
I wish brussels sprouts didn’t get such a bad rep.
There are lots and lots of vegetables in this world, but the brussels sprouts certainly seem to be the red headed step child of the pack.
How do you guys feel about brussels sprouts? Love ‘em or hate ‘em.
Maybe you better not answer that question until I tell you a little bit more about today’s recipe.
Brussels sprouts was never a veggie that was on my table growing up. We were more of a green beans and corn kind of family. Or, carrots when I was bad and being punished…
I actually never really knew what they were until pretty far in to my adult life. And, when I realized they were pretty much just like mini cabbages, I was totally on board.
I really do love vegetables, but only when they’re raw most of the time. I’m not a fan of the texture of most cooked veggies, and I think they lose some flavor when you cook them.
But, not brussels sprouts.
I love brussels sprouts raw and shaved in a salad. But, I love them equally as much roasted with some kind of sauce to accentuate the flavors.
I can’t pinpoint the first time I ever had brussels sprouts, but I can tell you all about some of my most recent experiences with them.
Over the summer, I visited the new Guinness brewery that just opened in our city. And, we ordered a whole spread of appies to snack on. Amongst our feast were some crispy brussels sprouts with some kind of Guinness mustard sauce. It was sooooo good. I’m not a huge mustard fan, but I could have devoured that whole basket.
Then a few weeks ago, I was having brunch with my friend, Alison, at this super trendy farm to table style restaurant; and she ordered brussels sprouts. They were drenched in this heavenly cream sauce, and I truly had to stop myself from eating all of her sprouts.
I really couldn’t get those insanely delicious vegetables off of my mind, so I decided to mix and match the two ideas and make a version of my own.
So today, we’re making Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Cream Sauce.
I can see how some people could be intimidated by brussels sprouts, because they can taste a little bitter if they’re not prepared correctly. And, finding the perfect texture so they’re not hard but not mushy can be challenging. But, I think I’ve got the perfect balance in today’s recipe, if you ask me!
We start by tossing some fresh brussels sprouts in some olive oil, salt, and pepper. You don’t want to substitute frozen brussels sprouts here. The texture would be totally different if you tried that since they’re already pre-blanched. So, only fresh ones, folks. We let them roast away in a hot oven until they get nice and crispy on the outside but perfectly soft on the inside.
Next, we fry up some bacon and make our mustard cream sauce. The sauce starts with sautéing some shallots in some leftover bacon grease, adding some stout beer for flavor but letting the liquid evaporate out, then adding a little heavy cream and some grainy stone ground mustard. I love the pop of the seeds in a grainy mustard, but you could certainly substitute Dijon mustard in this recipe too.
After that glorious sauce is finished, we’re going to toss the roasted brussels sprouts and the bacon all around in it to make sure everything is completely covered, and then we dig in! The sauce acts almost like a vinaigrette to the brussels sprouts adding a subtle hit of extra flavor with while keeping them nice and moist.
If you like your brussels sprouts swimming in sauce, feel free to double the sauce recipe. Or, this you could totally use the sauce as a dip instead of a coating and just serve the mustard cream sauce on the side. That would be the way I'd go if I was serving these, as say, a Superbowl snack!
Perfectly timed? I think so!
Alright guys, that's all I've got for today. I think I've just said the words “brussels sprouts” more in the past few mins than I have my 34 years of life!
Anyways, enjoy! And, let's eat!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Cream Sauce
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
For the Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped; (½ tbsp bacon grease reserved)
For the Mustard Cream Sauce:
1 tbsp minced shallot
1 tbsp stout beer (I used Guinness)
¼ cup heavy cream
½ tbsp stone ground mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Roast the Brussels Sprouts: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place brussels sprouts on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Toss with your hands to coat. Arrange sprouts cut side down on the baking sheet, and place in the oven for 15 mins. Remove from the oven, toss, and place back in the oven for an additional 3-5 mins.
Meanwhile, make the Mustard Cream Sauce: Heat ½ tbsp reserved bacon grease over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add shallots, and saute for 2-3 mins until they begin to soften. Add stout beer, and cook until the majority of the beer has evaporated, about 10 mins. Add heavy cream, mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, and let simmer for 2-3 mins until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
Finish the Brussels Sprouts: Add roasted brussels sprouts to a bowl with the chopped bacon. Drizzle mustard sauce over the top. Toss gently to coat the brussels sprouts. Serve!
Recipe notes:
*If you like your brussels sprouts with lots of sauce, feel free to double the mustard cream sauce recipe. You can also serve it on the side like a dip instead of a dressing for the sprouts.
*Remember bacon grease can be pretty salty, so go light on the salt when you're seasoning your sauce. Make sure to taste along the way. You can always add seasoning, but you can't take it out.
*Make sure your brussels sprouts are nice and dry before you roast them. We want them to get crispy, not be soggy.
*I like to use stone ground mustard, because I like the little pops from the seeds. You could also substitute dijon mustard.
