Party brussels sprouts

Instructions

• Fill a large saucepan half full with hot water and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, trim away tough stem ends from brussels sprouts and remove any discolored leaves. In stem end, cut an "X" about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) deep. This helps to speed up cooking of dense stem ends.

• When water is boiling, add sprouts. Adjust heat so water continues to boil gently. Cook, uncovered, until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Then, drain and rinse sprouts with cold water.

• Melt butter in a large frying pan set over medium heat. Or, cut bacon slices crosswise into 1-inch- (2.5-cm-) wide pieces and sauté, stirring often, until some of the fat begins to appear, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. If using bacon, drain off most of accumulated fat, leaving only about 1 tablespoon in pan with bacon pieces and onion.

• Add drained sprouts, lemon juice and pepper. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until sprouts are hot, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt, if you wish. Turn into a heated serving dish.