Brussel Sprouts Au Gratin

En fin, the recipe you've been waiting for: Brussel Sprouts Au Gratin! Yes, it's divine. Yes, it involves heavy cream, butter, and cheese. I justify these ingredients by practicing pratipaksha bhavanam (replacing a negative with a positive). For example, instead of saying "Oh boy, another doozie for my waistline" I flip it by saying something like "How fantastic for my waistline that Thanksgiving only comes but once a year." This dish was a crowd pleaser last year and I, for one, cherished the leftovers!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease an ovenproof dish with butter. Prepare an ice bath.

You'll need 2 pounds of brussel sprouts. Cook in boiling water for 5-8 minutes and then transfer them to an ice bath. Make sure to dry them once they're cool.

Slice 2 shallots and sauté them in a little white wine and butter until they're translucent and soft.

Now for the gratin. In a large bowl combine 2 T flour, 1 cup grated gruyere cheese, 2 T of parmesan cheese, 1 t of lemon zest, 2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper. Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream (remember, pratipaksha bhavanam)! Add your brussel sprouts and sautéed shallots.

For the topping you'll need 3 cups of bread crumbs (I'm a panko lover, but you can use fresh bread and make your own or simply use pre-made bread crumbs), 3 T unsalted room temperature butter, 1 1/2 t lemon zest, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t pepper, and 2 T chopped parsley. Mix well.

Pour the gratin into your baking dish and sprinkle with the topping. Pop it into your oven and bake until it looks so heavenly and golden brown that you simply can't stand it anymore (about 35 minutes).

Enjoy!

Recipe inspired by Williams Sonoma