Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction and Poached Egg

On one of those rare evenings when I actually had a babysitter and a night out on the “town” (this is Windsor, ON, I’m not sure that’s a completely accurate reference) my husband and I went to a lovely tapas-style restaurant that had the atmosphere of a hidden speak-easy but with outstanding food. It was not well marked, you had to descend a flight of stairs to get there and when you walked in you questioned whether this was actually a restaurant or a very hipster person’s living quarters. The food came in small sharing plates and the cocktails contained batched bitters and fresh juices.

It was cool in that way that I no longer am.

Surprisingly, the highlight of the evening was not the cocktail, the steak tartar, or the duck (all of which were delicious!), it was the Brussels sprouts. And this is not just me being crazy, when I had heard about the restaurant through word of mouth (the only way I think they advertise), people kept telling me to get the Brussels sprouts. They were perfectly charred, crunchy with nuts, slightly but not cloyingly sweet, and topped with a poached egg, which when stirred its creamy yolk coated the sprouts in an almost mayonnaise-like dressing. It was to die-for which meant I immediately tried to deconstruct and recreate it. This did not actually require a lot of skill as the menu was mercifully informative.

You can buy balsamic reduction/glaze at the store, but it is ridiculously overpriced and can be completely recreated at home by simply cooking and reducing balsamic vinegar with some sugar. Just watch the pot closely, it can go from syrup to hardened-on-the-bottom-of-the-pot, sticky mess in a matter of minutes. Also make sure not to overcook the poached egg. We are looking for runny- coating not scrambled eggs. Remove it after 3 minutes.

Note: For those of you in the Windsor-area, the restaurant is F&B in Walkerville. And no, this is not a sponsored add, just a happy patron!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction and Poached Egg

1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed
4 oz of bacon, chopped
1/2 cup cashews, toasted and roughly chopped
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp granulated mustard
1 egg

Make the glaze:

In a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, heat the balsamic vinegar and sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens to a syrup and can coat the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard.

Trim the Brussels sprouts and cut into halves or quarters, depending on how large the sprouts are. In a medium skillet, brown the bacon over medium heat until crispy and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind. Increase to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the Brussels sprouts to the pan in an even layer, being careful not to crowd the pan. Pan fry until brown on one side, approximately 3 minutes, and flip the sprouts to cook the other side. Remove and place in a serving bowl and repeat with the remaining sprouts.

Meanwhile, crack the egg into a small ramekin. Heat a saucepan with a few inches of water and a splash of vinegar. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiled, ease off the heat and reduce to barely a simmer. Using a spatula or slotted spoon, make a slight ‘whirlpool’ in the pot of water by moving the spoon in in a circular direction. While moving the water, slide the egg from the ramekin into the middle of the pot.  Keep the water at barely a simmer and cook the egg for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In the serving bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts, bacon, cashews, and balsamic reduction. Add the egg and stir to combine, breaking up the white and yolk.