Brussels Sprouts, Kimchi Puree & Bacon

What?! Kimchi purée?!

That was my reaction when I read Babychili’s post on Bo ssäm when it was listed as an accompaniment for the ssäm, but I was more  intrigued than anything else. After having David Chang’s Momofuku on my wishlist for several months, I finally made the purchase and eagerly flipped through it as soon as I got the chance. Then there it was on page 94, a recipe for brussels sprouts. Not just another brussels sprout recipe, but one with bacon AND kimchi purée!  Brussels sprouts? Love. Bacon? Love, love. Kimchi? Love, love, love.

I figured I needed to make the Momofuku kimchi to make this recipe right. Chang’s recipe is easy and fast, but to tell you the truth, I was really really unsatisfied with the kimchi it produced. I gave it a week and it still didn’t reach its full tangy potential. Even after two weeks, the kimchi still tasted unsatisfyingly “fresh”. I barely made a dent into the half-gallon jar, but hoped that this brussels sprout recipe would give it a second chance.

The recipe calls for “raw” puréed kimchi, but I felt the kimchi really needed to be mellowed out. I warmed the purée in a small skillet with a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease as I prepared the brussels sprouts. Best. Move. Ever. It completely redeemed the unpalatable kimchi that had been sitting in my fridge for two (maybe three?) weeks. A bowl of steamed short grain white rice is the perfect accompaniment to the concert of flavors in this dish – the nutty and sweet brussels sprouts, the salty kimchi purée, and the smoky bits of bacon.

Chang adds a “pile of julienned carrots on top to give it some color”, so…I omitted it completely. Plus, I think the colors of the dish are fine on its own. It’s like that unwritten fashion rule of removing one accessory or jewelry before leaving the house. That’s right, buh-bye carrots.

Kimchi purée, how I love thee. The simple method of just puréeing it completely transforms the kimchi and I can’t wait to start experimenting with my newfound ingredient. We have just added another life to kimchi!

Brussels Sprouts, Kimchi Puree and Bacon

adapted from Momofuku

Serves 4

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1/4 smoky bacon, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch-long batons
1 cup cabbage (baechu) kimchi, puréed (see below for Momofuku recipe)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Remove and discard the loose outer leaves from the sprouts, and cut the sprouts in half though the core.

3. Put the bacon in a wide oven-safe sauté pan or skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just about crisp, 5 minutes or so. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.

4. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of bacon grease to a small skillet. Warm the pan over medium-low heat and add the kimchi puree and stir until warmed through. Take off heat and set aside.

5. Drain off the rest of the fat from the pan and add the sprouts, cut side down. Raise the heat to medium-high and sear until the sprouts begin to sizzle. Put the skillet in the oven and roast until the sprouts are deeply browned, 8 minutes or so, then shake the pan to redistribute them. Pull the pan from the oven when the sprouts are bright green and fairly tender (taste one to check), 10 to 15 minutes more.

6. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat and stir in the butter, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the sprouts to coat them.

7. Divide the kimchi purée among four shallow bowls. Use the back of a spoon to spread the kimchi out so it covers the bottom of the bowls. Divide the sprouts among the bowls, arranging them in a tidy pile on top of the kimchi. Serve immediately.