Brussels Sprout Hash with Poached Egg

I know that there was a lot of groaning the last time I posted on Brussels sprouts! But this recipe will make the Brussels sprouts lovers love on, and it might just change the minds of those who don’t!

I made this recipe in the spirit of embracing my new “healthy” lifestyle. It feels a little sinful with the creamy, rich egg yolk and the sprinkling of bacon (although that is easy to omit if you are a vegetarian). Because it is piled onto a hearty portion of vegetables, and made with very little oil- it is actually low carb, sugar free and quite healthy! However, far more importantly (to me anyways) is that it is really, really good. The earthy flavor of the sprouts, the spicy red onions and the crispy salty bacon are beautifully offset by the creamy egg.

I ate this as my dinner, (although it would be a beautiful brunch dish too). My husband was like- “where is the rest?” so I placed this whole nest on top of fettuccini tossed with olive oil and parmesan for everyone else in my family, and boy did it look good 😉

Brussels Sprout Hash with Poached Egg
2lbs Brussels Sprouts
½ large red onion
3 slices bacon, thick cut
4 eggs
Olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Place the three slices of bacon in a heavy pan, and cook over medium heat.

Cook until the bacon is crispy on both sides, and then drain the bacon on a paper towel. Pour out the bacon grease and reserve pan.

Chop bacon into small pieces and reserve.

While the bacon is cooking, trim all of the Brussels sprouts, and then slice them in half.

Shred the Brussels sprouts with a sharp knife, or more easily, with a food processor.

Reserve the shredded Brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

Thinly slice the red onion with the grain.

Add 2 tsp of olive oil to the bacon pan, and add the red onions. Sprinkle the onions with kosher salt. Cook over medium-low heat until the onions are tender and slightly browned. Reserve.

In the same pan, add another 2 tsp of oil, and then add the Brussels sprouts. Cook them about 4-5 minutes, or until slightly browned. I added a small ladle of water (1-2 Tbs) about 3 times during the process, to keep the Brussels sprouts from sticking, and kind of helping to steam them a bit.(You may need to do this in two batches depending on how big a pan you have?

While you are cooking the Brussles sprouts, bring a medium pot of salted water to a light boil or simmer. (Adding a plash of white vinegar to the pot will help the eggs to hold together more nicely).

When the water is hot, crack an egg into a small bowl. Swirl the water with a spoon and dump the egg in . You can poach all of the eggs at once, if you have enough space in the pot. A poached egg usually takes about 3-4 minutes for a nice runny yolk.

I plate the hot Brussels sprouts into a shallow bowl and kind of make a nest.