British grown sprouts are in season right now, one of the many reasons they grace our traditional Christmas dinner plates. But don’t just reserve them for Christmas day itself, this decadent side dish would be an excellent addition to any winter roast dinner. Midweek you could simply roast chicken breasts or pork chops with some creamy mashed potatoes and these delicious cheesy sprouts.

Cooks in: 30 mins

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

5 slices back bacon, chopped into 1cm dice

3 tbsp butter

1 small onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1kg Brussels sprouts, halved

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

300ml double cream

50g Cheddar, grated

50g gruyere, grated

Top Tip: After Christmas, any cheeseboard leftovers work well instead of the cheddar and gruyere. Simply use 100g of cheeses of your choosing – hard cheeses work best.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190° In a large, shallow frying pan or casserole dish which is oven safe, melt the butter and fry the bacon until crispy, over a medium heat.
2. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon keeping as much of the cooking fats in the pan. Fry the onion, garlic and sprouts together, stirring well to combine. Add in the dry seasoning and spices then stir. Cook all together over a medium heat until tender and gently browning (approx. 10 minutes).
3. Remove from the heat and pour over the cream. Top with both cheeses and the crisped bacon.
4. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!