He calls his Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pureed Kimchi. I added roasted pinenuts, sherry vinegar (one of Chang’s favorite moves) and fried shallots. They evoke favorite casseroles the way my mom used to do it, but with the flavor profiles of haut cuisine. The apotheosis of my Mormon childhood favorites, this is:
BRUSSELS SPROUTS IN THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM
4 c. trimmed and halved Brussels Sprouts Trim the stems and any sad outer leaves. If you have your pick, choose the smaller sprouts.
2 pieces of premium bacon, chopped into ¼” strips.
1/3 cup shelled pinenuts
1/3 cup pureed kimchi The more live-culture, the better!
1 ½ tbsp quality sherry vinegar
Fried shallots I use the plastic box of crisp pre-fried shallots from the Asian market. If I fried my own, I’d slice them very thin and use butter to do it.
Fry the chopped bacon until fat is melting but before it browns too much. Add Brussels sprouts, ½ tsp salt and about a 1/3 cup water to the pan. Don’t stir. Cover immediately and let it steam off until the sprouts begin to tenderize. In the meantime, dry panroast the pinenuts until golden. Then stir the pan for the first time. Hopefully, the bottom of the pan will have a nice brown sear on it. Think hash browns. Think how much better they are when they are actually browned. When the sprouts leaves crisp, they impart a nuttiness that is amazing. That’s what we want. So stir once to turn it over and then leave it alone so it will brown the other side. The bacon should now be brown and crisp but not burned. When sprouts are tender but still bright, add the roast nuts and remove from heat. Combine the pureed kimchi and the sherry vinegar and toss in the pan. Top with the fried shallots.
Pretty easy and pretty damn good. As always, all measurements are rough estimates. I cook with my mouth, not measuring spoons. The kimchi adds just another little funk to the funk of the Brussels sprouts… hard to call out in the final dish but adding whole layers of depths and complexity. Chang mentions that he makes his own kimchi and uses it while it’s still very young. I haven’t made a traditionally flavored kimchi yet so I used bottled. A trip through the food processor and voila!
That box of fried shallots is quickly becoming a staple in my kitchen. I put a few tablespoons into every broth and they make a great topping in everything from sandwiches to salads to whatever. It seems I’m always pulling them out of the cupboard.
A brief note on the preposition in the title of this recipe: To non-native Utah Mormonese speakers, this wording may sound a bit awkward. You might think that things would be “from” or “of” the Celestial Kingdom. You would be reveal yourself as non-native with this shibboleth. Things don’t generally come from the Celestial Kingdom, they go to it. And as one is on one’s way there (ontologically-speaking), one would refer to it as existing as a location not in (finite) space, but in time (in the future). One would say “in the Celestial Kingdom” much as one would say “in the presence of God”. Yes, this is me. Nerding out. “Big Love” can get me thinking about such things and last night’s season premiere was pretty awesome. Can’t wait for this season!
