Lap Cheong Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are fantastic - they pick up tons of flavor from other ingredients, and are extremely versatile! Check out my other Brussels recipes for Crispy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey and Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce! :) Growing up, my grandma often made Lap Cheong, a delicious dried Chinese pork sausage that is normally smoked, sweetened, and seasoned with rose water, rice wine, and soy sauce. It's the perfect mix of sweet and salty. Lap Cheong is a sausage that is dotted with huge gems of fat that render out and are wonderful for cooking the sprouts. You can find Lap Cheong in any Asian supermarket. This is a nice twist on bacon and Brussels that will have your family scarfing down sprouts :) Let's get cookin!

What You Need:

1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
2-3 Chinese sausages
2 1/2 tbsp water
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
shallots or onions, optional

What To Do:

Wash the sprouts, slicing off the ends with a paring knife. Remove the loose or brown leaves from the sprouts. Cut each sprout in half.
Prepare all the sauces ready for cooking.

Next, chop up the Chinese sausage. You can either dice them, or cut them into coins or half-moons. I like half-moons since the shape and size go well with halved sprouts.

The Chinese sausage has a ton of fat in it, and it's important to render it out correctly, or you can be left with tiny, shriveled up hard sausage pieces.
Start off with a COLD frying pan. Do not pre-heat the pan. Place the sausage into the pan, and turn the heat up to medium.
Prepare a plate with a few paper towels stacked on it for draining.
The fat will render out of the sausage, and begin to get crispy on the edges. Make sure to stir frequently, and not let the sausage burn. Once the Lap Cheong becomes translucent, remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain them on the paper towels.

Over medium-high heat, add the halved Brussels sprouts to the pan. Stir to ensure the sprouts are coated with fat from the Lap Cheong. Let them gain some color for a few minutes, and then add 2 1/2 tbsp water.
Allow the sprouts to cook until they are crisp-tender, and add 2 tsp each of soy sauce, fish sauce, and rice vinegar. If adding shallots or onions, add them now.
Continue to stir, and taste for seasoning. Add the cooked Lap Cheong back into the pan, and stir to incorporate. That's it!

Lap Cheong, fish sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar bring a nice Asian twist to bacon and Brussels in a two-step cooking process that only takes about 25 minutes. The result is a bold, sweet and savory dish that works beautifully as a side.

Hope you all had a fun and safe New Year's Eve. I celebrated in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I found even more food inspiration. Life can bring you to some really beautiful places and I'm incredibly grateful. Wishing you a healthy and prosperous new year :) xoxo