SERVES 4 TO 6 8 ounces slab bacon, cut into ẵ-by-ẳ-inch-thick strips 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds small Brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed, outer leaves discarded, and split in half Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Put the bacon and olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, add enough water to barely cover the bacon, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring to separate the bacon, until the water completely evaporates Continue to cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until the bacon is crisp on all sides, about minutes longer Transfer to a finemesh strainer set over a large heatproof bowl to drain, then set the bacon aside Toss the sprouts with the bacon fat until well coated Wipe out the skillet, add 1 teaspoon of the bacon fat, and heat over high heat until smoking Add as many sprouts as fit in single layer, cut side down, and cook, without moving, until deeply charred, about minutes Flip and cook until the second side is charred and the sprouts are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes longer Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl Repeat with the remaining sprouts Add the bacon to the serving bowl and toss to combine Serve immediately PAN-SEARED ZUCCHINI AND CORN Can anyone else simply not wait for corn season to start every year? I get so impatient that I’ll visit the farm stand or supermarket every day toward the start of the season, waiting for the first ears of the local stuff to hit the market The best way to eat corn is, of course, as elotes or esquites, the Mexican street snack of grilled corn with cheese, chile, lime, and cream Or maybe the best way is to bury it underground with a heap of seaweed, chouriỗo, lobsters, and clams for a traditional New England clambake Oh no, wait It’s gotta be corn chowder, or, oh oh, I know—sautéed with butter and beans into savory succotash OK, so it’s good pretty much no matter how you cook it Here’s another one to add to your arsenal: kernels charred in a skillet If you separate the kernels from the ear and cook them over crazy-high heat in a skillet with a bit of oil, they get deeply charred while still retaining a sweet bite It’s my go-to method when cooking corn indoors, because it allows you to capture some of the smoky, complex, sweet flavor of grilled corn It’s a fantastic way to make a quick side for chicken, pork, or seafood dishes, but it’s also great as the centerpiece of a simple vegetable-based meal (you could add some crisp cooked bacon and cook the corn in the bacon fat if you want to up your meat factor) Add some ... every year? I get so impatient that I’ll visit the farm stand or supermarket every day toward the start of the season, waiting for the first ears of the local stuff to hit the market The best way to eat corn is, of course, as elotes or... Here’s another one to add to your arsenal: kernels charred in a skillet If you separate the kernels from the ear and cook them over crazy-high heat in a skillet with a bit of oil, they get deeply charred while still... it’s also great as the centerpiece of a simple vegetable-based meal (you could add some crisp cooked bacon and cook the corn in the bacon fat if you want to up your meat factor) Add some