Creamed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

March and the first anniversary of Marvin's move to Cedarhurst. One year. Three hundred and sixty-five visits (I missed two — one for a doctor's appointment, one for a snowstorm — and the missing felt like a failure even though it wasn't, because the daily visit has become so much a part of my identity that missing one feels like missing a heartbeat). Three hundred and sixty-five containers of food. Three hundred and sixty-five hours of sitting beside him, reading to him, feeding him, loving him in the particular way that you love a person who is here and not here, present and absent, alive and disappearing.

I marked the anniversary privately — no ceremony, no blog post, just a moment in the car before I walked in, a moment where I sat in the parking lot and thought: one year. I have done this for one year. I will do it for as many years as there are. The years are not a burden. The years are a gift. The years are the time I have been given with this man, in this form, in this room, with this food, and I will not waste them, and I will not stop coming, and the coming is the vow, and the vow is renewed daily, in the parking lot, in the hallway, in the room, beside the recliner, with a container of brisket and a book and the specific, stubborn, unbreakable love of Ruth Feldman.

I made brisket. Obviously. What else would I make on the anniversary of the worst and most loving decision of my life? The brisket was perfect. The brisket is always perfect. The brisket is the one perfect thing in an imperfect world, and I brought it to Marvin, and he ate it, and I sat beside him, and the year was done, and the next year began.

The brisket, as I said, was perfect — it always is. But an anniversary deserves more than one dish, and so alongside the brisket I tucked a container of creamed Brussels sprouts with bacon, because Marvin always loved a rich, savory side, and because I wanted that meal to feel like a celebration, not just a Tuesday. This recipe is the one I reach for when ordinary food isn’t enough — when the occasion calls for something a little indulgent, a little warm, a little extra. One year felt like exactly that kind of occasion.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
6 slices bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, finely diced
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

Cook the bacon. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pan.
Sear the Brussels sprouts. Add the halved Brussels sprouts cut-side down to the skillet with the bacon drippings. Cook undisturbed over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes until deeply golden. Toss and cook another 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Build the cream sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add the shallot to the skillet and sauté 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and add the cream cheese, stirring until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
Simmer. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly. Stir in the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
Combine. Return the seared Brussels sprouts to the skillet and toss to coat in the cream sauce. Cook together for 2–3 minutes until the sprouts are tender and the sauce clings to them.
Finish and serve. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the reserved crispy bacon. Serve hot.

Nutrition (per serving)

Creamed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon — The Side Dish I Brought Alongside the Brisket