When I am looking for side dishes for special meals this time of the year, brussels sprouts always come to mind as they are one of my favourite winter green vegetables. There are so many great ways to serve brussels sprouts and I have to say that a creamy gratin is top on my list, especially when you have the oven on already for something like the roast beef that I made on the weekend. As far as gratins go, this brussels sprouts gratin is pretty simple. You start out by blanching the brussels sprouts to make sure that when they come out of the oven they are nice and tender and fully cooked. Salty and smoky bacon pairs particularly well with brussels sprouts and I always enjoy adding them to a brussels sprouts gratin! Next up is the creamy sauce which I like to start out with sauteing some diced onions and garlic before moving on to making the bechamel sauce with the butter, flour and milk. For this gratin a tried something a little different and I added some grainy mustard to the mix to add a bit of a kick and a nice contrasting texture along with a bit of colour. Now you could throw the gratin into the oven like this but a crunchy crust is always nice and super easy to make with some panko bread crumbs mixed up with some finely grated cheese.
Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Bacon in a Mustard Cream Topped with a Parmesan Crust
Brussels sprouts baked in a creamy mustard sauce along with smoky bacon all topped in a crispy golden brown parmesan crust.
ingredients
- 2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
- 4 ounces bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
directions
- Blanch the brussels sprouts until just tender and set aside.
- Cook the bacon in a pan, set it aside and drain all but a tablespoon of the grease.
- Add the butter to the pan and let it melt and then bubble.
- Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Mix in the flour and let simmer until it just starts to brown a little.
- Mix in the milk, nutmeg, mustard, salt and pepper and half of the cheese and heat until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens.
- Mix brussels sprouts and bacon into the sauce and pour into a baking dish.
- Mix the bread crumbs and the remaining cheese and sprinkle on top of the brussels sprouts.
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until it is bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 15-20 minutes.
Sounds delish! Will try!
I never thought I'd ever use the word "decadent" to describe a dish made with Brussels sprouts, but that's definitely the first thing that comes to mind to describe this gratin… I might even have to try making it for my sprout-phobic BF to see if I can convert him. It just looks too good to pass up. 🙂
I know I am doing Brussels Sprouts with bacon for the American Thanksgiving. And that is all I know. I am looking at that gratin muttering, "Man, that looks good."
Brussels sprouts are a favorite of mine as well, especially on Thanksgiving. I haven't figured out what I'm doing with them this year but this is certainly in the running!
Love brussel sprouts…really like the idea of the mustard cream!
I have been searching for a recipe to use with brussel sprouts, so that maybe I can change mine and my husbands minds about the vegetable. This is definitely the recipe that I will be trying.
The weirdest combinations altogether.. and yet i'm tempted to have a few bites…. or 1 bowl. or 2.
This was great!!!! jan
yum. Mustard or mayo has always been a "secret" weapon in my white sauces, and it definitely adds a kick to the more traditional bechamel! I can totally imagine the flavour this brings to a brussel sprout gratin, but I think I'm gonna put my mouth where my word is and get cookin' on this!
Totes made this with tempeh bacon, three times as much mustard and a tablespoon of horseradish. KILLER. Thanks for the inspiration, dear sir!
YUMMMMM!!!
I ALMOST made brussels for Thanksgiving this year, but changed my mind because so many people think they hate them… >_<
I went years never even touching a brussel sprout because I'd always heard they were bad, 'til I finally picked some up at the store one day. AND HOLY CRAP. WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?! They are so delicious! 😀
Maybe next year…
Kevin, this is an awesome recipe! I made it for Christmas Dinner and it is truly decadent!
I forgot to blanch the sprouts, so cooked the casserole for an hour instead of 15 minutes. The top didn't burn or dry out, but the sprouts were wonderful. They had a bit of a crunch. My 7 guests thought they were the best sprouts they'd ever had.
OMG THIS IS AMAZING!!! I’m really trying to get more veggies in my diet, so I was combing your blog when I came across this. “I have all the ingredients!” I yelped and immediately went into making this. Had this as a side with a pan-seared salmon fillet. I halved the recipe bc I’m just one person, but it came out GREAT!