Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon And Rainier Cherries

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds of Brussels sprouts trimmed and sliced in half
• 3/4 pound of slab bacon or thickly sliced bacon, cut across the grain, into 1/4-inch thick strips
• 2 cups of pitted fresh Rainier cherries
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Spread them out into a single layer on a baking pan, cut side down. Cook for 20 minutes. Brussels should be browned in areas. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.

While the Brussels are roasting, cook the bacon in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat, until tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes. (regulate the heat so the bacon doesn’t get too crisp – you want it to cook slowly so it will be tender).

Spoon out all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Turn the heat to low. Add the cherries and cook, tossing, for 30 seconds or so, until the cherries soften.

Add roasted Brussels to the skillet along with the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Cook, tossing, for 2-3 minutes to heat everything up and meld the flavors.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot.