Brussels sprouts are perhaps not the first thing you think of when you think about Spanish food, but they do have a little history in my homeland. They arrived in Spain in the 16th century, through trade with Flanders, and were often paired with pork, which we love. Here, however, I caramelise them with onion, thyme and sweet vinegar, then serve on crisp baguette with soft cheese and pine nuts. A small bite with big flavour, and just right with a glass of oloroso – perfect for festive times.
Caramelised brussels sprout and panceta montaditos
Prep 15 min
Cook 35 min
Makes About 20 canapes
1 tbsp olive oil
125g sliced panceta (Spanish bacon), or pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
300g brussels sprouts, finely sliced
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
2 tbsp sweet apple vinegar
2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
Salt and black pepper
20 slices fresh baguette
150-200g soft curd cheese, whipped, or whipped cream cheese
50g pine nuts, toasted
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the chopped panceta for about five minutes, until golden and crisp. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and fry gently for 10 minutes, until soft and golden.
Add the garlic, sprouts and thyme, and cook slowly, stirring often, for another five to 10 minutes, until the sprouts are tender and wilted. Add the vinegar and sugar, then cook for a further five minutes, until the contents of the pan are nice and sticky. Season generously, stir the crisp panceta into the sprouts and take off the heat.
Arrange the bread on a large platter, and top each slice with a spoonful of the caramelised sprout mixture. Spoon on a dollop of the whipped cheese, scatter over a few toasted pine nuts and serve warm.
