I have been making this festive and crowd-pleasing side for years. The combination of tender shredded sprouts, crispy pancetta, toasted pine nuts, with a pop of sweetness from the pomegranate arils will have your guests finishing all their veggies!
This dish is not only delicious, but it is also super easy to make. It can be prepped the day before cooked as your guests enjoy an appetizer. Or made in the morning and simply reheated before serving.
Trim the base of the Brussels sprouts, remove the outer leaves, wash, and dry thoroughly. Shred the brussels sprouts in a food processor or cut in half then finely slice.
Heat a 3.5-quart sauteuse on medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, turning frequently, until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
Add the apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping off all the pancetta bits. Then add the oil and allow to warm through. Next, add the sprouts, toss to coat in oil, then sauté for 4-5 minutes.
Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes more, until sprouts are just tender (not mushy or soggy).
Remove from the heat. Add 1/2 the pine nuts and the pancetta. (If using pancetta rounds, I like to add the pancetta rounds whole and let them break up when stirring. It leaves a nice balance of larger and smaller pieces). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Sprinkle with pomegranate arils and the other half of pine nuts. Serve and enjoy
