Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprout Gratin with Shallots and Rosemary

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! “There is nothing more honorable than a grateful heart” and even with life’s minor inconveniences and the occasional natural disaster, we all have much for which to be thankful.

I am heading to my Mom’s house today and my mission was to bring desserts and a side dish. The desserts were easy…I bought a Pumpkin Pie and ordered a Banana Cream Pie from the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, DE. So decadently good! BUT, not wanting the desserts to out-shine the side dish, I decided to make something different and special…Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprout Gratin with Shallots and Rosemary. I found this recipe on finecooking.com and the description touts “this rich, creamy side dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Brussels sprouts, pan roasted in brown butter until tender and nutty, are mixed with sweet, earthy Gruyère and topped with crisp breadcrumbs.” With a description like that, I felt downright inspired to try it.

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprout Gratin with Shallots and Rosemary
1-1/2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 large shallots, halved
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/4 cups heavy cream (I used ½ & ½ )
1-1/4 cups finely grated Gruyère (about ½ block)
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Slice the Brussels sprouts in half

Thinly slice the shallots.

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter until it begins to brown and smell nutty. Set aside 1 Tablespoon of the browned butter in a medium bowl.

Add the Brussels sprouts, shallots, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper to the pan and toss to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the Brussels sprouts and shallots begin to soften and brown in spots, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. I covered the pan so the Brussels spouts could cook a little more. Because I had to transport this dish, I transferred the mixture to a baking dish, but the directions say to bake it right in the oven-save pan.

Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, Gruyère, nutmeg, cayenne, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat until the cheese is melted, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Do not boil. Add the sauce to the Brussels sprouts, carefully stirring to combine.

Add the panko, Parmigiano, rosemary, and a pinch of salt to the reserved butter and mix thoroughly. Spread the panko mixture on top of the sprout mixture.

Bake until the crumbs are browned and the Brussels sprouts are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.