Carmelized Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta

Normally I just steam brussels sprouts and eat them leaf by leaf.  So I figured my recipe needed to be, um, real fancy (huh), for Thanksgiving.  Of course anything with pancetta is immediately salivating, and when you throw in some shallots on top of that, well...hom nom nom!

Business as usual...steaming the brussels sprouts

Sun-dried tomatoes were a nice accompaniment to pancetta!

Eeeeeksie...pancetta! nom nom nom.  I still think proscuitto is my favey fave, but pancetta with anything is a close second.  

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, recipe borrowed from Food & Wine

Serves 10

Ingredients

• 3 pounds brussels sprouts
• 6 tbsp. EVOO
• 6 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 ounces thickly slices pancetta, cut into 1/4" pieces
• 1/4 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
  

In a medium saucepan, boil some salted water (enough to cover the brussels sprouts).  Add the brussels sprouts to the boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes.  Drain, and let them cool slightly.

In a saute pan, heat some of the EVOO (about 1 tbsp.) and add the shallots, cooking until brown (about 10 minutes).  Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, slice the brussels sprouts in half.   Once the shallots are browned, remove from the saute pan and place in another bowl.  Add the brussels sprouts and the pancetta, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Top off with the pancetta and the sun dried tomatoes.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with a dash of salt if you like, and then serve warm.

Ending Notes:  Of course, this was the buttery deliciousness that this sounds like.  I mean, you reeeallly can't go wrong when you get some pancetta into a veggie dish (or...anything).  I would totally make this recipe again (calling carnivore friends everywhere!).