Orzo with Brussels Sprouts & Bacon

I never thought I would say this, but I love brussels sprouts. I didn't grow up eating them, so I never knew much about them, other than the perceived notion that they were every single kid's least favorite food. (Am I imagining this? I sincerely recall brussels sprouts always being the response to the question "What food do you really hate?") Well, let me tell you... go to your local farm and pick up a stalk - you will not regret it! They're like mini-cabbage, but with a mild flavor. They're an interesting cross between a leafy green and a hearty vegetable; they have enough texture to stand on their own but they don't have an overpowering flavor so they pair very well with other things.

We bought a giant stalk of brussels sprouts from a farm nearby; they had just been picked that morning. There were so many of them! I didn't know what to do. I made a potato and brussels sprouts hash with half of them, but I wanted to make something a little heartier with the rest. After scouring some recipes online, here's what I came up with.

Orzo with Brussels Sprouts & Bacon

Adapted from this recipe.

- 8 slices of bacon (or more!)
- 1-lb orzo pasta
- olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1-lb brussels sprouts
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche
- 1/4 cup grated asiago cheese
- zest of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper

- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, thinly slice the garlic cloves and set them aside. Trim the brussels sprouts, then shred the them with a food processor if you have one, or thinly slice them with a knife if you don't. Set those aside as well. Cut the bacon into 1-inch strips and lay them out on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until bacon is crispy and completely cooked.

- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the orzo, cook according to the time specified on the bag. Once cooked, strain the pasta and set aside. In the same pot, heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot, and once the oil is warm toss in the sliced garlic. When the garlic starts to turn slightly brown (it doesn't take long at all), toss in the brussels sprouts. Stirring occasionally, cook the brussels sprouts until they soften and start to turn brown in areas, then add the chicken broth. Let the chicken broth cook down and be absorbed for a minute or two, then turn the heat off.

- Add the cooked orzo to the brussels sprouts and mix well. Add the creme fraiche, asiago cheese, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste, then mix everything thoroughly. Toss the bacon in last, right before serving.

- Enjoy! This recipe made enough for two people, with enough left overs to feed us both again at least once! So ideally this could serve four people as a main course.

The bacon adds a nice crunch to the creaminess of the pasta. Shawn and I call orzo the 'rice' pasta. It's small like rice but with all the conveniences of pasta! I'm sure you could use different pasta here, but why would you want to?! For the love of brussels sprouts and bacon... make this recipe. You will not regret it.

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