Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts

Have you started your holiday meal planning yet? If you have, bravo! If you haven’t, don’t despair, neither have we. Typically that happens about two days before the event.

But if I have anything to do with it this year (and that’s a big if, as my dad is usually the one who decides what we eat for the big family meals) these brussels sprouts with chestnuts and bacon will be on the menu.

Chestnuts and brussels sprouts are a natural combination—earthy and strong, warm and filling. Add bacon to the mix and you have a match made in heaven.

Whatever you do, don’t overcook the sprouts! Overcooking them will give them a somewhat sulfuric taste. But cooked just enough? Perfect. Especially with the chestnuts and bacon.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts Recipe

Chestnuts are delicious, but a major pain to roast and shell (have you ever exploded chestnuts all over your kitchen? I have). Canned (jarred more like it) chestnuts actually work better in recipes than the kind you roast and peel yourself. The texture and moisture content is more consistent. So, we suggest using canned roasted chestnuts for this recipe. You can of course roast and shell your own if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 1 pound brussels sprouts
• 1/3 pound thick-sliced bacon or slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces or batons
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 20-25 canned roasted chestnuts, quartered or roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges to serve

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