Brussels Sprouts with Lardons
Blanched until just tender, then finished in a hot pan with crispy smoked vegetarian lardons and a knob of butter. A touch of Dijon at the end ties everything together. The sprouts get golden and slightly caramelised on the cut side, the lardons add salt and crunch, and the whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 600 gr Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
- 150 gr vegetarian smoked lardons
- 30 gr unsalted butter
- 1 shallot finely sliced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
1. Blanch the Brussels sprouts
- Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the halved Brussels sprouts and blanch for 4–5 minutes, they should be just tender when pierced with a knife but still have some resistance. You're not cooking them through here, just taking the raw edge off and removing any bitterness. Drain immediately into a colander and run cold water over them for a minute to stop the cooking. Spread them out on a clean tea towel and pat them as dry as you can. Moisture in the pan is the enemy of a good caramelised cut side.
2. Crisp the lardons
- Add half the butter and the olive oil to your frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once the butter is foaming, add the vegetarian lardons in a single layer and leave them to cook without stirring for 2–3 minutes until they're starting to colour and crisp on the outside. Give them a toss and cook for another minute. Remove them and set aside on a plate. They won't release any fat, so everything left in the pan is what you cooked them in, don't discard it.
3. Soften the shallot
- Turn the heat down to medium. The pan should still have butter and olive oil in it from the lardons. If it looks dry, add a small knob of butter. Add the sliced shallot and cook gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent. It should have no colour, you're just taking the sharp edge off it, not browning it.
4. Sauté the Brussels sprouts
- Turn the heat back up to medium-high and add the remaining butter. Once it's foaming, add the blanched Brussels sprouts cut side down in a single layer. Leave them completely undisturbed for 2–3 minutes so the flat sides have time to develop colour. This is the step most people skip, and it's the step that makes the difference. Once they're golden on the cut side, toss the pan, season well with salt and black pepper, and cook for another minute.
5. Finish and serve
- Return the lardons to the pan. Add the Dijon mustard and toss everything together over the heat for about 30 seconds until the mustard coats everything lightly. Remove from the heat, scatter over the flat-leaf parsley, and serve immediately. This is a dish that doesn't wait well, Brussels sprouts with lardons are best eaten straight from the pan.
Notes
- Don't skip the blanching step. Cooking Brussels sprouts from raw in a frying pan means they'll brown on the outside before they're cooked through. Blanching gives you control.
- Dry the sprouts thoroughly before they go in the pan. Any water left on them will steam rather than fry, and you'll lose the caramelised cut sides.
- The olive oil alongside the butter stops the butter burning at the higher heat needed for the sprouts. Don't skip it.
- The Dijon is a finish, not a sauce. One teaspoon coats everything lightly and adds a gentle sharpness that balances the richness of the butter. More than that and it takes over.