Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi Puree and Bacon

So to address my lack of Asian (or Asian-inspired) recipes of late, I decided to make a brussels sprouts recipe from the Momofuku cookbook.  Now I know that brussels sprouts aren't an inherently Asian ingredient.  In fact, I would be shocked if they ever turned up in any form of Asian cuisine.  But these are tossed in kimchi puree, so that has to count for something, right?  Granted, there is bacon and butter in there, but come on.  You have to give me points for trying, especially since I didn't get home from work until about 8:45 pm tonight with the brussels sprouts.  Luckily I had Alex at home cutting up the bacon batons and making the kimchi puree.  I really do need to use this cookbook more.  When you flip through it there are so many fabulously interesting recipes!  And most of them are at least nominally Asian, which goes perfectly with my renewed desire to cook lots of Asian (or Asian-inspired) recipes.  Next up, the Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Miso Butter (even though asparagus are not exactly in season right now) or the Pan-Roasted Bouchot Mussels with OS.  Yum.  

I think I will cut down on the amount of butter next time, because I didn't really think it added much to the brussels, except to make them a little soggy.  I would have preferred that the brussels remained charred and crispier.  So maybe I will halve the amount of butter next time and char the brussels sprouts just a few more minutes.  Since our brussels sprouts were pretty small, I only cooked them for 10 minutes once I returned them to the oven.  Next time I will go at least 12 minutes, but probably the entire 15 minutes, and then cut down on the butter.  But I loved the combination of the brussels sprouts, the kimchi, and the bacon.  It's not a flavor combination that would ever occur to me on my own, but they are awesome together.

We served our delicious brussels sprouts with some sunny-side up eggs with runny yolks that we drizzled with soy sauce and topped with more of the kimchi puree.  I think that together they made the perfect meal. 

Recipe after the jump!

Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi Puree and Bacon

Adapted from Momofuku

By David Chang and Peter Meehan

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. brussels sprouts, halved and trimmed

1/4 lb. bacon, cut into 1-1 1/2-inch long batons (they should be about 1 cm wide, or less)

1 cup store-bought kimchi, pureed

2 tbsp unsalted butter

s&p

1 cup finely shredded carrots (Alex shaved the carrots with a vegetable peeler)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put bacon in a cast-iron pan (or other heavy oven-safe pan/skillet) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just crisp, about 5 minutes.  With a slotted Spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.  Set aside.

Drain off most of the fat from the pan and add the sprouts, cut side down.  Raise the heat to medium-high and sear until the sprouts begin to sizzle, about 2 minutes.  Put the skillet in the oven and roast until the bottoms of the sprouts are deeply browned, about 8 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and shake to redistribute the sprouts.  Return pan to oven and cook until sprouts are tender, about 10-15 additional minutes.

Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat and stir in butter, bacon, and s&p to taste.  Toss the sprouts to coat them.

Divide the kimchi puree among four shallow bowls.  Spread the kimchi out so it covers the bottoms of the bowls.  Divide the sprout and bacon mixture among the bowls.  Top with carrots.

Serve.