Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Cream

Alex Roberts’ roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta cream, Photo by Matt Lien // Growler Magazine

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Fresh Thyme and Pancetta Cream
By Alex Roberts, Restaurant Alma

(serves 8)

Pancetta Cream
2-1⁄2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1⁄4 pound Red Table Meats pancetta, cut into a 1⁄4″ dice or lardons
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 shallot, roughly chopped
3 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon juniper berries
2-inch sprig of fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg

Alex Roberts (l) with Fulton brewer Mikey Sale (r), Photo by Matt Lien // Growler Magazine

Alex Roberts (l) with Fulton brewer Mikey Salo (r), Photo by Matt Lien // Growler Magazine

Start the cream one day in advance of serving the finished dish.

Place pancetta in a sauce pot with olive oil and cook over medium-low heat to slightly render fat, but not brown the meat, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and garlic, cook until fragrant and softened but not browned. Add all other herbs, spices, and cream, and bring to a low simmer, reducing slightly (by about 10 percent). Remove from the heat, cool, cover, and store covered overnight in refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld (do not strain).

Sprouts
2 pounds Brussels sprouts
1⁄4 cup good olive oil
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 ̊F. Cut off brown ends of the Brussels sprouts, remove any yellow outer leaves. Halve each the sprouts, then mix in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them on a sheet pan or in a roasting pan and oven roast for 30–35 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. In the last 1–2 minutes before removing from oven, add the thyme and shallot and stir well. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt to finish.

To serve, bring the cream mixture to a simmer, strain it, and return it to a simmer until 2 cups remain and cream is emulsified and smooth like a thin gravy. Serve the cream on the side or poured right over the top of the roasted sprouts.