Quickly browned, then braised with onions and garlic, Brussels sprouts are tossed with feta, bacon and sage and served over pasta. Recipe below.
AT MY OFFICE, THE CREATIVE DEPARTMENT recently did a workshop on presentation skills. Each of us had five minutes to speak on the topic of “What I have learned.” One colleague spoke enthusiastically (to be fair, that’s her default mode of speaking) on learning to love Brussels sprouts.
Laurel probably acquired her childhood dislike for these tiny cruciferous vegetables the same way many kids did—from someone cooking them to death, stinking up the house in the process. But studies have shown that young taste buds tend to be more attuned to fats and sweets, and a taste for bitter or sour foods only develops later. So we reject all kinds of vegetables and other strong flavors, no matter how they’re prepared. Laurel overcame her fear and loathing of Brussels sprouts the way kids usually do—she grew up. She tried them again with her grownup palate and guess what, they were delicious.
This is a phenomenon I think many of us fail to recognize. Taste buds grow right along with us, if we let them. Just because you didn’t like something when you were seven doesn’t mean you won’t like it now. The list of foods I hated as a child—or refused to even try—is an impressive one. It is a far shorter list now, and some of the most hated substances are now solidly liked. Beets, I’m looking at you.
In the case of Brussels sprouts, Laurel’s change of heart was no doubt aided and abetted by better preparation. A whole new generation of cooks has discovered these “baby cabbages” and has ditched boiling them until gummably soft for sautéing, roasting, braising, grilling and even shredding and serving raw.
For this recipe, we sautéed and braised Brussels sprouts with onion and garlic, then tossed them with bacon, crumbled feta and fresh sage, then served it all over pasta. I think Laurel would approve.
Linguine with Brussels Sprouts, Feta and Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon (about 1/4 pound)
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered, if large)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil—plus more, if needed
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried sage)
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 12 ounces dried linguine (or pasta of your choice)
Instructions
- Arrange bacon in a cold, large sauté pan. Turn heat to medium and cook, turning occasionally, until just crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off bacon fat in pan, but do not wipe clean. Heat olive oil in the pan over medium.
- Add Brussels sprouts and toss to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally to make sure cut sides spend quality time with the hot pan.
- When sprouts start to brown and char a little on said cut sides, clear a space in the middle of the pan and add the onion, drizzling in more oil, if needed. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring onions occasionally, then toss sprouts and onions together. Cook for 1 minute or so, then clear another space and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds, then toss everything together.
- Add wine and water and scrape up any browned bits. Reduce heat, partially cover pan with a lid and simmer sprouts until just cooked through and tender, 5 to 10 minutes. At the very end, clear yet another space in the center of the pan, add Dijon mustard and whisk into braising liquid. Toss to coat sprouts.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. When just al denté, drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water for this extra special cooking tip (see Kitchen Notes).
- When pasta is cooked, remove sprouts from heat. Add bacon, sage and feta and toss just until combined. Divide pasta among shallow bowls and spoon Brussels sprouts mixture over pasta. Serve.
Yup, I’m a former Brussels sprouts hater too. Love those little devils now! Never thought to use them in a pasta dish, though. Gotta try this. And good tip with the pasta water! I use pasta water all the time for making a sauce, but never even thought to refresh the pasta with it. Thank you for that, and for this recipe.
Ditto here re. formerly hating brussels sprouts! And then one day at a restaurant the waiter dropped off the wrong salad. And didn’t return. And I was hungry. So I ate it. The salad included roasted brussels sprouts; I had to try several of them to be sure that it wasn’t a fluke… I really DO like them now! I’ll give this a shot, but – have you ever had a recipe where they’re used raw?
John, I just happened on the idea of using pasta water to refresh the pasta when I was making this dish. Not sure why it occurred to me, but it worked perfectly.
Funny you should ask, Anita. A couple of years ago, we made this Brussels Sprouts Salad with Blue Cheese. As I remember, you’re not a fan of blue cheese, but you can use thinly sliced raw Brussels sprouts for many kinds of salads and slaws. Trader Joe’s even sells already sliced sprouts.
I’ve always loved brussel sprouts and this recipe sounds like the best way to prepare them that I’ve ever heard! Can’t wait to try it.
I disliked them as a kid without ever even having tried them.. ew brussels sprouts! But then we had some crispy sautéed brussels sprouts with garlic dipping sauce at a restaurant – I was hooked! Now we make them all the time.
On another note, what’s your favorite feta?
Thanks, Dani!
Dr. M, I must admit, we eat feta so infrequently, we don’t have a favorite. This particular batch is French feta. What’s your go-to?
Frankly speaking, I never cook any pasta with wine before. This is my first time experience. Thanks for the useful info.
Never try feta so far… Gonna try this later! Thanks for the post!