Miso Glazed Brussel Sprouts and Miso Praline Bacon

I recently found these two Miso recipes on an Asian cooking website and decided to publish them.  I love Brussel Sprouts cooked anyway, and who doesn't like bacon kicked up a notch or two.   Based upon 5 sprouts per person, this recipe should serve bewteen 6 to 8 people.

Please Note:  I need to give you some recommendations before you make this Brussel Spout recipe.   First, it should be served when you are serving other Asian dishes.  The hardy Asian profile of this dish will not work well with other cuisines.  Next, the Miso sauce is a dominate favor and therefore needs to be mixed with enough Brussel Spouts so that the final dish is not too saucy.  I would highly recommend that a mininum of 1-½ poinds of Brussel Sprouts be used for the amount of liquid being prepared in this recipe.   Given all of this input, this is a very tasty dish if you like Asian favors.  Enjoy.

Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and the fungus Aspergillus Oryzae, know in Japanese as kōji, and sometimes rice, barely or other ingredients. 

Miso Glazed Brussel Spouts

Ingredients

• 1-½ pound Brussle Spouts. 
• 2 TB Miso Paste.
• 1 TB Maple Syrup.
• 1 Teas. Mirin.
• 1 Teas. Sake.
• 1 TB Cider Vinegar.
• 1 Teas. Soy Sauce.
• 3 cloves of  minced Garlic.
• ¾ cup Water, separated into three (3) ¼ cup portions.
• 2 Teas. Sesame Oil.
• 1 slice Bacon (chopped into ¼ inch pieces).
• 1 Teas. Sesame Seeds.
• ¼ cup chopped Green Onions (scallions).
• ½ teas. Sriracha Sauce (optional).

Procedure

• For the Miso sauce combine the Miso paste, Maple Syrup, Mirin, Sake, Cider Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Garlic and ¼ cup water in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook for 1 minutes, or until miso dissolves.  Remove from heat; stir in Sesame oil.   
• For the brussel sprouts, wash sprouts, trim ends and remove any outer loose leaves and cut in half.  Heat 2 TB vegetable oil and 2 ounces of butter in a deep-sided skillet.  Cook the sprouts without stirring for 4 minutes or until browned.  Turn over spouts and add ¼ cup water and cook for another 4 minutes or until golden brown on all side.  Taste as you cook for doneness.  You do not want to over cook the sprouts.  Make sure the Srouts are still a little crisp.  Set aside on paper towel.   
• Add ½ TB of vegetable oil to the skillet.  Cook the bacon until the bacon turns golden.  Stir in 1 TB of the Miso Sauce, add the sauteed Brussel Sprouts, and ¼ cup water and reheat until water evaporated tossing well.  Fold in green onions.  Sprinkle with Sesame seeds and serve immediately. 

Miso Praline Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 pound thick sliced Bacon.
• 1 cup Miso paste.
• 1 cup Sake.
• 2 cups of Praline (1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of crushed pecans). 
• ½ cup Mape syrup.
• Scallion very thinly spliced.

Procedure

• Par broil the Bacon (cook slightly, but not all the way through).
• Sprinkle Miso/Sake mixture on top of bacon.
• Combine the brown sugar and pecans in a food processor and process into a medium grind Praline.
• Sprinkle praline mixture on to the bacon.
• Broil bacon until crisp.
• Sprinkle with thinkly spliced scallions and serve.