Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

These are great as a side dish or appetizer for a party. Try to get uniformly sized brussels sprouts, or at least fit similar sized ones on the same skewer to ensure even cooking. If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water before grilling. These reheat very well in the oven. I tossed them in a lightly greased baking dish and baked them for about 15 minutes at 400F (200C).

Total Time: about 40 minutes
Makes 16 brussels sprouts

Ingredients:

• 16 brussels sprouts, tough outer leaves removed and woody stalks trimmed
• 8 rashers of bacon, cut crosswise in half
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt
• ice bath

Procedure:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season generously with salt. Add the brussels sprouts and cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on the size of your vegetables. You want them to be just a bit tender when squeezed. Transfer the brussels sprouts to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain well.

Wrap a half-slice of bacon around each brussels sprout, securing the overlapping ends of the bacon as you slide it onto a skewer. You can probably fit 3-4 brussels sprouts onto each skewer. Position each so that the bacon-covered parts are all facing the same direction. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat your grill over medium-high heat. Place the skewers on the grill, making sure the bacon makes contact with the grill grates. Grill 8-10 minutes per side, depending on the size of the sprouts, or until the bacon gets a bit crispy and the vegetables are cooked through.