Brussels Sprouts au Gratin
This wonderfully delicious side dish complements any roast dinner. If you wish, add some cooked pancetta at the end and top with freshly grated lemon rind.
Overview
Brussels sprouts au gratin transforms humble sprouts into a rich and crunchy side dish coated in a savoury blend of breadcrumbs, pecorino, garlic, and parsley. Parboiling before baking ensures the sprouts are tender inside while the topping crisps to a golden crust in the oven.
Ingredients
- 480 grams Brussels sprouts
- 180 grams dried breadcrumbs
- 180 ml Extra origin olive oil
- 120 grams flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 180 grams pecorino cheese (freshly grated)
- salt
- pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Parboil the Brussels sprouts in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then remove and plunge in a bowl of ice cold water to refresh, drain thoroughly.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the oil in an oven-proof oval dish just big enough to hold all of the sprouts.
- Mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic and remaining oil in a small bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the Brussels sprouts.
- Put the dish in the middle of the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve at once.
Notes
- Plunging the parboiled sprouts in ice cold water immediately stops the cooking and keeps them bright green.
- Drain the sprouts thoroughly before adding them to the dish, excess water will prevent the topping from crisping properly.
- Use freshly grated pecorino rather than pre-grated for a better melt and flavour in the topping.
- For extra richness, stir through cooked pancetta and finish with freshly grated lemon zest just before serving.
Serving
Serve with: roast chicken, roast beef, or any traditional roast dinner Temperature: hot, straight from the oven Amount: one portion per person as a side dish
Storage
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 10-12 minutes to restore the crispy topping; avoid the microwave as it softens the breadcrumbs.
More like this
Green Beans Amandine
Trimmed green beans blanch in heavily salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes until just tender (still bright green and slightly crisp). Drained but not refreshed if serving immediately, the residual heat is wanted; if making ahead, refresh in ice water to stop cooking. Butter melts in a wide pan; flaked almonds toast in the butter until both go gold-amber together (the butter browns to beurre noisette / hazelnut butter). The blanched beans toss in the butter-almond pan over high heat for 1 minute; finished with a squeeze of lemon, a grind of pepper, optional Dijon mustard or garlic, and chopped parsley.
Elote
Fresh sweetcorn ears are husked (or partially husked, with the leaves pulled back as a handle). Grilled over hot charcoal (or a smoking-hot griddle, or under a domestic grill / broiler) for 8-12 minutes, turning, until charred in patches and bright yellow at the kernels. While the corn grills, a sauce of Mexican crema (or sour cream + lime juice), mayonnaise, a small splash of milk and a clove of crushed garlic whisks together. The hot grilled corn is brushed all over with the sauce, then rolled in finely crumbled cotija cheese (or a Tajín-cotija mix), dusted with chilli powder and chopped coriander, served with a lime wedge.*
Garlic Bread
Soft butter beats together with crushed garlic, parsley and a touch of salt. The butter spreads onto split baguette halves (or down the middle of a long loaf). Wrapped in foil, baked, then opened and grilled briefly to crisp the top.
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Large, meaty portobello mushroom caps baked with a savory-aromatic filling of Brie-style blue cheese, crispy breadcrumbs, garlic, and fresh parsley. The result is a beautiful, vegetarian-friendly starter or side dish with rich, umami flavors and a satisfying texture contrast between soft cheese and crispy topping.