Roasting Brussels sprouts is a delicate dance – I'm after deeply golden, crispy edges and tender middles. Unfortunately, in the midst of holiday chaos, it's all too easy to miss the mark and serve sprouts that are either burnt, not cooked through, or, worst of all, both.
Today, I have a more reliable approach. It starts with a quick roast, then the Brussels sprouts are submerged in a mix of bacon, onions, cream, and cheese, and baked until bubbly hot. The resulting Brussels sprouts are meltingly tender and really delicious. Hints of lemon, herbs, and nutty cheese play against the slightly bitter edge of the sprouts.
A creamy gratin like this one is a good reminder that vegetables can be centered without having to be totally virtuous. I'm fully in holiday food mode right now, but I'm also tucking this recipe away for a deep winter night when thick cut toast, a salad, and this gratin would be a lovely dinner.
The simple base of onions, cream, and cheese lends itself to variation. Here are a few ideas:
Crunchy Toppings
First off, consider adding a buttery panko topping for crunch and added color. Just mix 2 tablespoons butter with 1 cup panko breadcrumbs and spread on top before baking. You could also go the green bean casserole route and add crispy onions.
Other Vegetables
I haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure cabbage would be lovely in place of the sprouts. I'm thinking the head would be cut into two-inch wedges, roasted for 10 minutes, and then added to the gratin as described below. Two-inch cauliflower or broccoli florets could be swapped for the sprouts and prepared as described below. Same for roots like rutabaga or turnips (cut roots into 1 1/2-inch wedges).
Consider this recipe a versatile base. Once you've made it, you'll know the proportions you like, the correct volume and done-ness of the vegetables. And even if you make a misstep, cream and cheese are incredibly forgiving.
Skip the Bacon
Make the dish vegetarian by omitting the bacon and using butter instead. The bacon brings a lot of the salty flavor, so just be sure to taste along the way and add more salt where needed.
Brussels Sprout Gratin
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