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1
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rapid boil. Trim each sprout: remove any yellowed outer leaves and cut a small cross in the base to allow heat to penetrate the dense core evenly. Drop the sprouts into the boiling water and blanch for 3–4 minutes. They are ready when they are bright green and still firm, with a slight raw crunch at the centre. Drain immediately and refresh in iced water to halt cooking.
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2
Place a wide pan over medium heat. Add the lardons and render until golden and crisp. Remove the lardons and reserve, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
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3
Add the finely sliced shallot to the rendered fat and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Add the drained, blanched sprouts. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook for 5–6 minutes, tossing occasionally. This is where the dish lives or dies: the cut surfaces must develop distinct golden-brown spots — this caramelisation provides the sweet, nutty counterpoint that balances the sprouts' inherent bitterness. Pale, uncoloured sprouts at this stage cannot be recovered later.
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4
Pour in the 100 ml of chicken stock and return the reserved lardons to the pan. Cover and braise over a gentle heat for 8–10 minutes. The dish is done when the sprouts are tender throughout and the stock has reduced to a light glaze that coats the sprouts — not a pool of liquid, not dry.
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5
Remove from the heat. Add the cold butter in small pieces and swirl the pan to emulsify it into the glaze. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a grinding of black pepper. Taste: the finished sprouts should be tender but not mushy, carrying a balance of sweet caramelisation, smoky pork, and the assertive cabbage-family character of the vegetable.