Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts, Pancetta, and Parsley
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 20 min |
| Cook time | 10 min |
| Source | Feast - Food to Celebrate Life by Nigella Lawson (pg 30) |
| Yield / serves | 8-10 servings |
| Rating | Delicious |
Ingredients
- 10 cups (2 lbs) Brussels sprouts
- 8 oz pancetta, rind removed, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 T vegetable oil
- 2 T butter
- 1 1/2 c (8 oz) vacuum-packed chestnuts
- 1/4 c Marsala
- 1 c chopped parsley
Preparation
Trim the bottoms off each of the sprouts, cutting a cross into each as you go, or at least a slash. Tip them into a large pan of salted boiling water and cook until tender, but still retaining a bit of bite, about 5 minutes, depending on size.
In a pan large enough to take everything later, cook the pancetta cubes in the oil with the rind for more salty fat rendering, until they're bronzed and crisp, but not cooked to the point of dried out.
Add the butter and the chestnuts and, with a wooden spoon or spatula, press on the chestnuts to break them up a little. When they're warmed through, turn the heat up and throw in the Marsala, letting it bubble away, fusing with the pancetta fat and chestnutty butter to form a glorious savory syrup. Add the drained sprouts and turn well, sprinkling in half the parsley as you do so. Give a good grinding of pepper to taste (no salt needed, the pancetta covers that). Transfer to a warmed serving plate and sprinkle over the remaining chopped parsley.
