Making sprouts sing!

Personally I love sprouts, but there are many perennial sprout dodgers out there who every year deny themselves the delight that is the good old Christmas sprout. This recipe should, in my view, change the opinions of even the most die hard sprout-avoider. The secret……. bacon and butter! Ingredients 500g sprouts cut in half 100g thick cut smoked streaky bacon cut into lardons 200g unsalted butter 200g shallots finely sliced 5g thyme finely chopped 50g chicken stock Salt to taste

• Preheat a large frying pan on a medium heat, add the butter and once foaming gently, add the smoked bacon and cook slowly until the bacon is crisp and the bacon fat has rendered out.
• Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon, put the shallots in the bacon fat and cook slowly for around 30 minutes until very tender.
• Add the chopped thyme and cook for 1 minute, now add the sprouts and chicken stock and place a lid on and cook for 5 minutes. Put the bacon back into the mixture and season to taste with the salt.