Pilsner Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Directions

1. 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add brussels sprouts and cook until bright green and starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. 2. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl halfway with cold water and add enough ice to chill. Set aside. Drain brussels sprouts and immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking process; let stand until chilled. Drain and set aside until well drained. (You can blanch, chill and drain brussels sprouts up to 1 day ahead; transfer well-drained sprouts to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.)
3. 3. In a small bowl, stir together pilsner, maple syrup and mustard. Set aside.
4. 4. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add brussels sprouts and stir to coat; spread out in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown around edges, about 5 minutes.
5. 5. Stir in garlic and cook until light golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in pilsner mixture and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt and pinch pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until no liquid remains and brussels sprouts are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
6. 6. Remove from heat and stir in 1-1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) lemon juice. Taste and add more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice, if desired, before serving.

Variation

• Pilsner Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts: Vacuum-sealed chestnuts are easy and cheap to find around the holiday season. Cut them in half and add them during the final few minutes of cooking. Toasted pecans also make a great addition to brussels sprouts; just toast them ahead of time and add in the last couple of minutes of cooking.