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One of my staple vegetables is Brussels sprouts. I usually toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and roast them in the oven. Then I add a balsamic reduction to them for a hint of sweetness. Of course with this heat, why put on the oven? But since I received sprouts this week in my vegetable share I decided to switch things up a bit.

I wanted to try doing them on the stove top along with changing up the flavor profile. I really like sauces that are sweet and sour, so I thought an agrodolce sauce would be great, especially with the added saltiness of the pancetta and capers. The best part, no oven needed.

2 oz. pancetta, small dice
1 teaspoon safflower oil
3 cups of Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons capers, drained and rinsed

In a large sauté pan, add the pancetta and start the heat on low. This will render the fat and crisp up the pancetta. Once the pancetta is crispy, remove it with a slotted spoon reserving it for later. If there are less than 2 teaspoons of fat in the pan, add the teaspoon of safflower oil. Also add the sprouts and 1/2 cup of water.

Set the heat on medium and put a lid over the pan. At this point you want to steam the sprouts for about 8-10 minutes. Remove the cover and let the rest of the water evaporate. Add the salt, toss to make sure the sprouts are coated in the oil and turn the heat up to brown the sprouts, making sure they don’t burn and all get nicely browned.

Once tender, add the garlic and let cook for about 30 seconds. Add the vinegar and honey. Toss to coat. Remove from the heat and add the capers and pancetta. Recheck your seasoning.

Serves 3.

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