Hot Dish Review

You know I love Brussels sprouts….even enough to spell it correctly. In fact, my friends B and BB share my love for the bitter vegetable. We order them every time we see them on a menu.

Some of the best ever were at AOC in LA…..baby sprouts roasted with pancetta. In Atlanta, Top Flr’s Brussels still take first place, with Sound Table’s coming in a close second. I really like the vinegary flavor of Bocado’s Brussels but find them a bit too al dente. And then there are the ones that find themselves on your plate, undercooked, underseasoned, unappreciated.

A couple of months ago I started roasting my own with shallots. In an effort to make them as healthy as possible I only used a tablespoon of olive oil for a large casserole dish of sprouts. The result was tasty but dry.

All this talk about Brussels sprouts has evidently sparked some debate among local chefs. What is the best method to prepare kickass sprouts?

BB, a CIA trained chef, decided to do a little experimenting with the vegetable. I took a few notes as he explained his method. First he blanched them in homemade chicken stock (seriously….homemade stock!). Meanwhile, he browned some diced pancetta in olive oil, removing the cooked bits, then browned the Brussels sprouts in the pancetta fat. Pinenuts, finely chopped shallots, dried cherries, and capers in white balsamic vinegar were added, each element meant to balance the other.

He lost me somewhere amidst the deglazing of the pan with aged balsamic or perhaps it was while he was reducing the stock. I do remember he added a sliver of foie gras butter and some shaved pecorino at the end.

I would not attempt to recreate his Brussels sprouts, the method too tedious for my ADD brain. But I was truly excited to eat them! How lucky that I had a leftover duck breast. The pancetta, dried cherries, and pinenuts were abundant, creating a sort of chutney that was the perfect match to the rich duck. The sprouts themselves were tender….just damn delicious.

There is a very good chance these Brussels will end up on the menu at his place opening later this year, giving Top Flr (and everyone else) some competition.

So….kudos to the chef! And Happy Birthday!