This meal was a hit a few weeks ago – but without the opportunity to document and photograph the goodness.

Thus, I took it upon myself to recreate. It was worth it.

In fact, the first time the food filled the bowl and passed the lips of my better half, we experienced one of the few

“Oh, my good God”

moments.

That says a lot, I’d say.

So, the lemony zing, coupled with the savory and refreshing burst of fresh thyme creates a surprising burst of flavor on the palate. Yet, when mixed with the buttery and salty sweet of Kerrygold butter, caramelizing and glazing the Brussels sprouts, the meal truly does become divine. The parsnips, then, add a touch more sweetness and, of course, you can never go wrong with some good old red meat.

Lemon Thyme Brussels and Bison Balls

1/2 lb. ground bison
sea salt and pepper
3-4 tsp. Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb Seasoning Blend

2-3 Tbs. Kerrygold butter, divided
2 large parsnips, peeled and grated
2 cups baby Brussels sprouts, cleaned, trimmed, and halved
sea salt and pepper
2 Tbs. fresh thyme
Juice of 1 fresh lemon

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Using your hands, combine the mission with the seasonings in a moderate sized bowl. Form into decent sized meatballs and transfer to a medium Dutch oven or glass baking dish. Cover and bake for about 30-35 minutes. Bison is very lean, so overcooking will cause the balls to become dry. For added flavor and to ensure the balls are most, add a bit of fat, such as Kerrygold or beef tallow, if desired.

As the bison balls are baking, blanch the Brussels sprouts until bright green in a large pot of water. Remove from heat and set aside. Melt about half of the divided Kerrygold in a large cast-iron skillet. Add the parsnips and salt and pepper, stirring until the snips begin to caramelize. Immediately add the sprouts and the remaining butter. Stir and fully coat all the veggies, turning the heat to medium low. Once the caramelization of the sprouts begins to occur, add the lemon juice and thyme and stir into perfection.

Serve topped with the meatballs and dressed with any additional fresh thyme.

On an added note, earlier in the day, we were able to attend a wine tasting at a local shop. The Spaceman was in the queue and proved to be utterly smooth and stellar. Quite the pairing, I’d say. – Mosey here, my friends, for a an intergalactic viewing.