Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta (or bacon)
*serves 4

I love roasted brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of Locatelli. So salty and delicious. And in my hay day of college and early working days, weight loss and limited income, I’d often buy frozen brussels sprouts, steam them and then bathe them in butter, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. I know you’re probably judging me, but they were inexpensive and filling — the butter was the trick to making them tasty — satisfying. I was that girl, with the tupperware, in the microwave at work.

Now, my tastes are a bit more refined — I haven’t had a frozen, steamed sprout in about 20+ years. And though my love for the roasted sprout remains tried and true, sometimes I don’t want to turn on the oven. Call it spring, perimenopause hot flashes or sheer laziness — but no, no oven roasting right now.

Brussels sprouts are hearty and have a distinct flavor, that when paired with fat and salt really smoothes them out. Ok, let’s be honest, what’s not smoothed out and silky with fat and salt?

Cooking brussels sprouts on the stove top, in one pan, with pancetta, shallots and a little water or chicken stock is not only flavorful — but makes these little green cabbages an elevated side for a solo meal or one with guests. We love to make these at the holidays, but they’re also perfect for a weeknight meal as a side to anything from burgers, to meatloaf, roasted chicken or fish.

To get started you’ll want to begin by finely dicing the shallots and cutting the pancetta into small cubes. Then, because brussels sprouts are thick with their leaves and density, you’ll want to trim the core at the bottom and slice the brussels sprouts in half — this allows for 1) quicker cooking 2) browning and 3) a more tender brussel sprout upon serving.

Begin by adding olive oil to a heavy bottomed skillet and heat over a medium low flame, adding shallots and pancetta. And if you don’t have access to pancetta, bacon will do, just be sure to adjust the salt because bacon tends to be a bit more salty and stronger in flavor than pancetta. Pancetta is a bit more delicate and not smoky like bacon.

Personally, I like to allow the shallots and pancetta to cook for 2-3 minutes and then I add the brussels sprouts in right away to start the flavor mingling asap. I keep the flame medium low and cover the pan so that the brussel sprouts can sweat a bit, but be sure to keep an eye on them and add a little water or chicken stock a tablespoon or two at a time as they start to stick to the pan and brown. The liquid will help deglaze the pan, so all the good pancetta fat and bits flavor the sprouts and it will also help the sprouts soften and brown. This takes about 15-20 minutes.

Remove the brussels sprouts from the heat once they are brown and fork tender — not mushy. Adjust salt, pepper and serve warm. You can even top these with Locatelli cheese depending upon what you’re serving them with as your side — the cheese adds that extra pop of flavor and salt.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta (or bacon)
*serves 4

Ingredients
1 12-16 oz bag of brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1-2 small shallots, finely diced
2-4 oz of pancetta or bacon, diced or cubed very small
1/4-1/3 of chicken stock or water, added in by the tabelspoon
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
—Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy bottomed skillet over a medium low flame
—Add shallots and pancetta or bacon and cook for 2-3 minutes
—Add the halved brussels sprouts, a spinkle of salt and cover the pan
—Watch the brussels sprouts as they will begin to stick — be sure to move them around a bit but not too much; you want to prevent sticking and burning but begin the browning process
—As the brussels sprouts begin to cook and the bottom of the pan becomes brown with all of the pancetta bits — begin to add a tablespoon of liquid at a time to deglaze the pan and continue the cooking process for about 15-20 minutes
—Once sprouts are brown and fork tender, remove from the heat and adjust seasoning of salt and pepper
—Serve warm and enjoy