Brussels Sprouts Gratin

The boyfriend found this recipe, and while I'm not big on Brussels sprouts, I figured I would try it.  I cheated and used bread crumbs instead of buying a loaf of french bread for a two ounce slice.  I also ended up cooking the sprouts longer than indicated in the braising portion because they didn't seem as tender as I would have liked (and since I so rarely cook them, it's harder to judge if they're done!).  Next time I would use the low setting on our broiler (we have "high" and "low" and no recipe seems to ever indicate which), as I used the high setting and the topping ended up slightly overdone.  But, overall, a good recipe, and a much more palatable way to eat Brussels Sprouts!

2 hickory-smoked bacon slices
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 (2-ounce) slice French bread baguette
3 tablespoons butter


1. Preheat broiler.
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings; crumble. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to drippings in pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add Brussels sprouts and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil; cook 6 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are almost tender. Uncover and remove from heat. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to combine. Spoon Brussels sprouts mixture into a 2-quart broiler-safe glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Place bread in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Add cooked, crumbled bacon to toasted breadcrumb mixture. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over Brussels sprouts mixture. Broil 3 minutes or until golden and thoroughly heated.