This recipe appealed to me (as many do) because of the combination of ingredients.

The brussels sprouts, sautéed with butter, onion and pancetta, topped with walnuts and fried sage leaves sounded too good to pass up. It was a fantastic, flavorful dish which exceeded my expectations!

This is not a “simple” recipe. You have to be vigilant with the cooking time while preparing it or you will have a soggy mess of brussels sprouts. Although I was very careful, my sprouts did not look nearly as appetizing as the one in the picture accompanying the recipe!

I know the brussels sprouts in that picture had to be close to raw to be that beautiful shade of green!

So when you make this recipe (and you should), just follow the instructions carefully and I am sure you will be as happy with the results as I was. It is a delicious, savory side dish that I will definitely make again!

You can also substitute apples in place of the pancetta if you keep kosher (which sounds delish as well!).

This recipe is courtesy of thekitchn.com. It serves 6.

Ingredients for the Brussels Sprouts

3 tbsp. butter, or margarine, divided
6  large fresh sage leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup of walnut halves, closely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup (2 ounces) diced pancetta or bacon
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, sliced thinly
1/4 cup of chicken broth
2 tsp. sherry or cider vinegar

Heat 2 tbsp. of the butter in a small (8 inch) skillet over medium heat. As soon as the foam subsides, add the sage leaves to the skillet and fry for about two minutes, turning once with a fork or tongs. Don’t let the leaves get brown-they are done when they stop sizzling and water is no longer bubbling to the surface.

Transfer the sage leaves to a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and set aside. Do not wipe out the skillet.

Turn the heat to down to medium-low, then add the chopped walnuts to the skillet. Cook the walnuts in the butter until they are aromatic and a bit toasted, about 3 minutes. The butter will be well-browned. Turn off the heat and set the skillet aside.

In a large (12 inch) skillet or sauté pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. of butter over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and the pancetta. Sauté until the onions are soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. 

Add the Brussels sprouts, stirring to mix evenly with the onions and pancetta.

Pour in the broth, cover the pan, and let cook for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium-high. 

Sauté until all of the liquid is evaporated and the hash is beginning to sizzle, about 5 minutes. 

Turn off the heat.

Pour in the vinegar and stir everything one last time, using a spoon to nudge down the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Transfer the hash to a serving bowl and top with the walnuts and sage, crumbling the sage leaves evenly over the top. Serve hot.

It’s that simple!