Recipes

Recipe: Pancetta Brussels Sprouts

This Brussels sprouts and pancetta dish is the perfect accompaniment to a festive family dinner

By Caren McSherry /

Credit: iStock/MentalArt

Pancetta, balsamic glaze and pine nuts add fresh flavours to this Brussels sprouts sidedish

This Brussels sprouts and pancetta dish is the perfect accompaniment to a festive family dinner

Thanksgiving is the first festive family get-together post-summer. The wonderful smells of turkey and all the trimmings bursting forth from your kitchen create this satisfying sense that cooking for family and friends is truly rewarding.



Ingredients

  • 100 grams pancetta, chopped into 
1/2-inch dice

  • 2 large shallots, diced

  • 2 lbs. Brussels sprouts

  • 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar

  • Sea salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

  • Balsamic glaze, to finish



Instructions

  1. Place the pancetta and shallots in a large sauté pan.
  2. Turn the heat to medium and let the mixture brown and crisp.
  3. Remove and set aside, reserving fat in the pan.
  4. While the pancetta is cooking, peel all the leaves from the Brussels sprouts so that you are left with a big pile of single leaves.
  5. In the same pan without removing any of the fat, add the leaves, along with the sherry vinegar, salt and pepper.
  6. Turn the heat to medium, cover, and let the leaves soften, stirring at intervals for about 5 minutes.
  7. Uncover and add the reserved pancetta and shallots.
  8. Toss the mixture together. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
  9. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and garnish with the toasted pine nuts.
  10. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze.

Serves 6-8.

Originally published in TVW. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.