What’s Cooking: Holiday Entertaining Menu Side Dish, Gratinéed Brussels Sprouts

Our chefs, Wit & Wonder Gifts team and blog editor take the stress out of planning a full-course menu that’s memorable (in a good way) and won’t keep you stuck in the kitchen all night. In a special What’s Cooking series, we’re serving up six perfectly paired, delicious recipes and inspiration for holiday entertaining—from drinks and dessert to décor and gifts.

Have picky eaters at your table? Not to worry. The layers of salty, complex prosciutto and melted Gruyère in this gratin recipe are far too tempting for even the biggest Brussels sprout-ophobe. Plus, cream added to a super-reduced chicken stock creates an incredible sauce that coats the caramelized Brussels sprouts in yum. Since that Bistro Crab Salad first course was so light and refreshing, we’re okay with this gratin side dish falling on the more indulgent end of things.

Gratinéed Brussels Sprouts

from the Nordstrom Family Table Cookbook

(Serves 6–8)

“Try this great baked vegetable dish instead of ho-hum green bean casserole at your next holiday meal. Even the people who say they don’t like Brussels sprouts will ask for seconds. The secret is a thick cloak of Gruyère cheese, which has a deliciously complex flavor with sweet, nutty, and salty notes. Oh, and a good dose of heavy cream doesn’t hurt, either.” —Chef Sarelle Drought

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces prosciutto, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 1/4 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese

2 cups heavy cream

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the prosciutto to paper towels to drain.

2. Add the Brussels sprouts to the fat in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until they soften, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and season with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the Brussels sprouts are tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 20 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Using a slotted spoon, remove the Brussels sprouts from the skillet and transfer to the baking dish, layering with half of the Gruyère. Boil the cooking liquid in the skillet until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, reduce the heat to medium, and cook the cream to reduce it by half, about 10 minutes more. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

4. Pour the cream mixture over the Brussels sprouts. Scatter the reserved prosciutto on top, then sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet. Bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Download a printable PDF of this Gratinéed Brussels Sprouts recipe, and find more recipes to love in our What’s Cooking series. Have a favorite recipe from our restaurants or cookbooks that you’d like to see featured? Let us know in the comments!

—Jeff Powell

via The Thread Blog http://ift.tt/1yFJmVY