Pan Seared Brussel Sprouts & Mushrooms

Seared brussel sprouts make a fantastic crunchy addition to any meal, and the addition of bacon and portabello mushrooms to this dish really ups the 'oomf' factor of a vegetable that many people grew up disliking!

• 1 pound Brussel Sprouts
• 1/2 pound Portabello Mushrooms
• 2 Cloves garlic
• 2-4 strips bacon
• Salt & Pepper
• Vegetable Oil
• Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

1. Wash the Brussel Sprouts before trimming their bottoms and cutting them in half
2. Wash and cut the Portabello Mushrooms into bite-sized pieces
3. Mince the garlic
4. Cut the bacon into chunks 1-2 inches long

Add the Bacon to a pan on medium high heat. Cook until it begins to harden but before it grows crunchy. Or else cook until its reached its desired crispiness and then remove and set aside, keep the bacon fat in the pan.

Add the minced garlic to the pan, allowing it to grow fragrant in the bacon fat

As the garlic begins to brown add the halved brussel sprouts. Let the sprouts to sit undisturbed for 4-5 minutes (allowing them to sear on one side) before flipping them over and adding the cut up mushrooms to the party.

(If you are worried about burning the sprouts at this stage, a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil can go a long way to keep things from sticking)

Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms have cooked down and the previously unseared side of the sprouts has developed some color.

Add your bacon back to the pan at this point if you had earlier removed it.

Stir all ingredients in the pan to combine, then add salt and pepper to taste and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Plate and serve. The addition of mushrooms really helps to stretch a limited number of brussels. My experience is that the above quantities of ingredients comfortably work as a side dish for 3-4 people.