above this 180°F mark as quickly as possible. Searing is one
of the best ways to accomplish this,
Let’s talk Brussels sprouts, the much-maligned vegetable
that happens to be my favorite. I love them any number of
ways—shredded into crispy hash, roasted in a hot oven,
braised with white wine—but certainly my favorite way is
seared in a ripping-hot skillet that not only heats them
rapidly, but also chars the leaves a bit, developing the sort
of rich, sweet, nutty flavors that only the best brassica-tinted
dreams are made of.
Want an even better suggestion? Sear them in pork fat.
When picking the appropriate pork product for your sprouts,
anything fatty and cured will do, really. It’s just a matter of
personal taste. Slab bacon works well. I cut it into strips that
you can call lardons if you’re fancy or French, or both.
Equally good, or maybe even better, would be
guanciale—salty cured pork jowl. I’ve done this with dry-
cured Spanish chorizo as well, which may be my favorite fat
to use. No matter what, before you start cooking the sprouts,
you’ve got to render the fat out of the bacon or pork.
nandana
(Nandana)
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