Recipe: Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta

Name: Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: General ingredients:; Pancetta is a type of seasoned Italian bacon in cylindrical form; 21 oz (600 g) Brussels sprouts, peeled and washed; 12 slices of very thin pancetta; Coarse salt, fine salt, and ground pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 knob of butter

By chef patrick Asfaux 5/5 (3 reviews)

Prep 15 min

Cook 25 min

Total 40 min

Servings 4 serv.

A delicious mix of sprouts, crunch, and the smoky flavor brought by roasted pancetta. Who's it for? People in a hurry who want taste without fuss, and those who love vegetables without the guilt. Difficulty level: zero, it's all about timing. The pancetta does the work on its own, it smokes, it crisps, it gives character to sprouts you'll prepare in no time flat.

Ingredients for 4 servings

Adjust for

servings

General ingredients:

Pancetta is a type of seasoned Italian bacon in cylindrical form
21 oz (600 g) Brussels sprouts, peeled and washed
12 slices of very thin pancetta
Coarse salt, fine salt, and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 knob of butter

Step-by-step directions

1 Bring 2.1 qt (2 liters) of water to a boil.

2 Plunge the sprouts into the boiling water then let them blanch for three minutes at a rolling boil. Drain them (this process helps prevent digestive troubles).

3 Return salted water to a boil and cook your Brussels sprouts until a knife tip can enter the sprout easily.

4 In a large pan, heat the oil and butter, then add the sprouts and the pancetta slices.

5 Toss everything halfway through cooking, then salt lightly and pepper. When the sprouts are a beautiful color and the pancetta slices have become slightly crispy, remove from heat and plate on a nice serving dish. Serve very hot either as a side dish for a pork roast for example, or on its own for a simple meal.

A chef's advice

The classic mistake: cooking the sprouts all at once in the pan. They'll stay mushy. That's why we blanch them for three minutes in boiling water first (it's scientific, kills the sulfur compounds that cause bloating), then cook them in salted water until tender, and finally finish them in the pan just for color and crispness. Follow the order, and you'll get sprouts that are creamy inside, crispy outside.