Tag Archives: Pancetta

Roast Brussels sprouts and pancetta

My husband hates brussels sprouts. Here’s a true story that changed his mind: One day we were at a restaurant when the steak he wanted to order was accompanied by brussels sprouts. He asked to have potatoes instead. When his meal arrived, the chef came out of the kitchen with a small plate of brussels sprouts, and insisted that while he may hate most brussels sprouts, he was sure he would not hate these. And he was right. I’ve spent a long time trying to decipher the recipe, and I think I finally got it. Try them, they just may change your mind about this tiny cabbage!
roastbrusselsprouts

Ingredients

1 lb brussels sprouts
1/2 cup pancetta, or sliced bacon
1 tblsp olive oil
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Trim the ends and yellow leaves off of the brussels sprouts. Wash. Place in a large bowl. Add the pancetta or bacon, olive oil and salt and pepper. (not too much salt as the bacon has salt in it).
Toss to coat evenly.
Place brussels sprouts on a cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
Stir. Roast for an addition 10 minutes.
Mix dijon mustard and sour cream together.
Remove sprouts from over, pour sour cream mixture over top and mix to coat evenly.
Return to over for an additional 10 minutes.

Chicken marsala with pancetta & creme

from Stacy A.’s book, El dorado hills, CA

Ingredients

Olive Oil
2 ounces pancetta (about 1/4 inch thick slice)
4 Mushrooms, Sliced
diced into 1/4 inch cubes
Flower for dredging (about 1/2 gup)
4 thin chicken breast cutlets, about 1/2 pound total
Course salt
Freshly ground black pepper, preferrably on the course side
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
2-4 tablespoons heavy creme
minced fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)

Preparation instructions

Coat a large skillet lightly with olive oil and set it over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until just crisp and lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, leave the fat in the pan, and set aside. Put the flower on a plate. Pat the cutlets dry. Season them on both sides lightly with salt and amply with pepper. Heat the skillet with the pancetta fat over medium high. Add more olive oil, if needed, to get about two table spoons. Fatten the pan. When the fat is hot, dredge a cutlet through the flower on both sides. shake off the excess flower and immediately put the cutlet in the pan. Do the same with as many cutlets as the pan will hold without touching. Sauté the rest, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer these to the plate as well. Pour off the excess fat. With the the pan over medium high heat, add the Marsala and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the Marsala is reduced by about a quarter. Stir in the creme and boil until you get a nicely thickened sauce. Add mushrooms and stir. Return the chicken and pancetta to the pan and turn the cutlets over to coat. Let them reheat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve with the sauce and a sprinkling of parsley, if you like.

Submitted by: Stacy A