OMG... I'm in heaven.
I have come across a food pairing as good as Stilton and Port...
Bread and Butter...
Mustard and Sausage...
Pizza and Pepperoni...
(OK... I'll stop!)
In the Times, I read a recipe for pasta with sliced Brussels sprouts and bacon. Yes, Brussels sprouts and bacon! As usual, this sent my mind reeling... and while I bow to Melissa Clark... I changed everything. But that's the thrill of reading about food... you encounter an idea and then you run with it in your own direction.
So tonight, I shredded some Brussels sprouts in the processor... then I sautéed some garlic and shallots in EVOO, crisped some bacon and added the drained bacon to the garlic/shallot mix, tossed in the shredded sprouts, added back a bit of bacon fat and some water, cooked this for a minute or two, and then tossed it with some al dente pasta. Then I added a bit of the reserved pasta water, tossed in some Grana Padano and a pinch of smoked salt... et voilà.
This was a deeper flavor than I expected... and even if you THINK you hate Brussels sprouts... try this! You'll thank me! And I thank Melissa Clark!
