Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate and Pancetta
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Tender sprouts and crisp-chewy pancetta with fresh pomegranate arils, smoky, savory seasoning and a tangy-sweet glaze. This brussels sprout dish will convert even the toughest skeptic! The recipe scales up easily, but if you double, triple, or quadruple it be sure to use multiple sheet pans and cook the sprouts in batches. Packing too many into a small space will steam the sprouts instead of roasting them.
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Modern American
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • One 4-oz slice of pancetta (about ¼-inch thick)
  • 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved lengthwise (through core)
  • Optional olive oil*
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Several grinds black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon minced shallot (or substitute garlic)
  • Scant ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Pinch cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
  • 10 ml (2 teaspoons) balsamic reduction or aged balsamic vinegar
  • 15 ml (1 tablespoon) pomegranate molasses
  • ¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped toasted nuts**
  • 1-2 teaspoons torn mint or parsley leaves
Procedure
  1. Place a large sheet pan on lower-middle rack of oven, and preheat oven to 400°F (with sheet pan inside to preheat as well).
  2. Render the pancetta: Cut pancetta into ¼ -inch dice and add to a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Cook pancetta until fat renders out, about 10 minutes. Transfer pancetta to a small dish and set aside.
  3. Season and roast the sprouts: Pour rendered pancetta fat into a large bowl and leave skillet out without washing (you'll use it again). Add brussels sprouts to bowl with pancetta oil and toss to coat. If the oil from the pancetta is insufficient (or if you're omitting the pancetta altogether), supplement with fruity olive oil. You want the sprouts to have a nice light coating, but they shouldn't be dripping in it. Add salt, pepper, thyme, shallot, smoked paprika and cayenne, and rub or toss well to coat evenly with all seasonings.
  4. Carefully remove preheated sheet pan from oven and pour brussels sprouts onto pan, spreading/distributing evenly in a single layer and turning most sprouts cut side down. Return sheet pan to oven and roast sprouts for 10-15 minutes until almost tender and beginning to brown. Remove pan and turn off oven.
  5. Glaze and finish cooking the sprouts: Reheat skillet over medium-high until hot. Add brussels sprouts and reserved pancetta, pour in the balsamic reduction and pomegranate molasses, and stir to coat. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until sprouts are tender and nicely charred in spots. Add ¼ cup pomegranate seeds during the last minute of cooking.
  6. Taste sprouts and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper and cayenne if desired.
  7. Serve: Add nuts and herbs, and toss well. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with remaining teaspoon of pomegranate seeds.
Notes
*The pancetta should render out 2-3 tablespoons of fat, which is more than enough for coating the sprouts. If for some reason your pancetta is very lean and you need to supplement with additional oil, I recommend a good fruity olive oil.

**My personal favorite nuts for this recipe are toasted pine nuts, pistachios or hazelnuts. Not a fan of any of those? Try walnuts or pecans, or leave out the nuts altogether.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ¾ cup
Recipe by Good Health Gourmet at https://goodhealthgourmet.com/brussels-sprouts-pomegranate-pancetta/