Recipe for roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts tossed in a bacon and brown ale vinaigrette with sage and pecans - the perfect autumn side dish!
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
4 thick slices of smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
1 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
4 ounces english style brown ale or porter
1 Tbsp firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, roasted and chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss Brussels sprouts and butternut squash with 3 tablespoons olive oil, cayenne, nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper; roast for 35 minutes, or until fork tender.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a sauté pan over medium heat until brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper-towels.
Pour all but 1 tablespoon of rendered bacon fat into a small bowl and set aside. Add shallot to remaining fat in the pan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, 1 or 2 minutes more.
Add brown ale; simmer for 3 minutes. Whisk in vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and sage.
Pour 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat in a steady stream while whisking continuously until vinaigrette emulsifies; season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Transfer roasted vegetables to a large bowl.
Add enough vinaigrette to lightly coat (you may not need all of it), then stir in nuts and half of the bacon.
Transfer to a serving dish and top with remaining bacon; garnish with sage leaves and serve immediately.
Heather Lewis is the author of BeerBitty.com, a recipe website dedicated to cooking with beer. She fell in love with craft beer and cooking while living in San Francisco and frequenting Toronado. When work moved her to San Diego and Austin, she immersed herself in the local beer cultures to learn as much about the trade as possible. In 2012, she left her job as a sales analyst to pursue a career in the craft beer industry. She currently lives in NYC with her basset hound where she is the Operations Manager at Brooklyn Brewery. She spends her free time in the kitchen, traveling as much as possible, and seeking out new breweries.
Chef Branden Moreau was hired by No-Li Brewhouse to create a menu of high-end pub dishes to compliment their internationally award-winning beers. The Osso Bucco with Wrecking Ball Mushroom Gravy has quickly become a pub favorite!
Laura, author of Tide and Thyme, shares her recipe for shepherd's pie made with your favorite Irish-style dry stout, all the classic vegetables and of course a little thyme.
This zucchini bread features Left Hand Nitro Stout, which densifies the treat, making the finished product a high-energy treat that pairs perfectly with a dark roast coffee (in the mornings) or a robust dark ale (in the evening).
These easy beer caramels from Becky's Blissful Bakery in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, are a perfect sweet and salty treat. For a little extra crunch, a pretzel topping can be added.
Share Post