Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Pancetta
Serves: 4 or more
Tasty Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Pancetta which take only 15 minutes to cook, making it the perfect side dish! Recipe with step-by-step photos.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 1 teaspoon of sea salt.
- Meanwhile, trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts and remove any discoloured leaves. For large sprouts, cut an "X" at the bottom to help them cook more quickly.
- Cook the Brussels sprouts in the boiling water for about 5 minutes.
- Drain the Brussels sprouts.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.
- Cook the pancetta until they have browned nicely on all sides.
- Add the garlic and onion, and stir for about 1 minute until they become translucent.
- Add the cooked Brussels sprouts and give everything a good mix.
- Carefully separate the chestnuts and try to keep them whole.
- Add the chestnuts to the saucepan and stir for a few minutes to warm them through.
- Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Kitchen Notes
- CHOOSING BRUSSELS SPROUTS
I prefer to cook with small (or very small) Brussels sprouts which are about the size of large grapes or small cherry tomatoes. Ideally, they should be bite-sized and about the same size as the chestnuts. Small Brussels sprouts tend to be less bitter and are usually sweeter and nuttier in taste. - WHAT IS PANCETTA?
Pancetta is Italian-style bacon and it is often sold in small slabs or ready-cubed in packets. You could also use French lardon or thick-cut bacon in this recipe. - BUYING CHESTNUTS
For this recipe, it is easiest to use pre-cooked chestnuts. I like to use pre-cooked chestnuts which are sold in vacuum-sealed packs, but you can also find them sold in glass jars or frozen. If you have the time and opportunity, you could also roast and peel your own chestnuts. - MAKE-AHEAD TIPS
To cut down on the cooking and preparation time, I recommend the following:
* buy Brussels sprouts which have already been trimmed, prepared and washed
* buy pancetta or bacon which have already been cubed
* if you are using vacuum-sealed chestnuts, separate the chestnuts ahead of time and store them in a zip-lock freezer bag in the fridge until needed - OVEN & STOVE TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this website have been tested on an induction stove and/or with a conventional oven (i.e. an oven without fan). All recipes on this website use temperatures for a conventional oven, unless otherwise mentioned. Convection ovens (i.e. fan-forced ovens) are typically 20°C/70°F hotter than conventional ovens, but please check your manufacturer’s handbook. - CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.