Don’t like Brussels sprouts? Think again…

These babies should be part of every healthy eating plan. “I love that Brussels sprouts are so underrated and if cooked right they are just the most delicious vegetable. And, when paired with bacon, they’re a match made in heaven! Serve this dish on a big platter for everyone to share,” says chef Annemarie Steenkamp.

What You Need

4 medium courgettes
150g Brussels sprouts
50g pancetta
20g capers
80ml extra-virgin olive oil
10ml white-wine vinegar
5g mint
20g unsalted butter
2g salt
1 lemon
80g fresh ricotta
Handful dill, chopped
1 spring onion, sliced

READ MORE: 6 Healthy Pasta Dishes You Can Make In Under 30 Minutes

Method

1/ Top and tail the courgettes and shave them into ribbons with a peeler.
2/ Cut the Brussels sprouts into quarters and remove the small, hard stems.
3/ Cut the pancetta into small cubes. Set aside until needed.
4/ Roughly chop capers, place in a separate bowl and mix in the olive oil and white-wine vinegar. Pick the mint leaves off the stem and slice into little strips, then mix into the caper mixture. Set aside.
5/ Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Blanch the ribbons for 30 seconds and, using a slotted spoon, transfer them into a hot pan with a third of the butter. Season with salt.
6/ Heat a separate frying pan over high heat and add the rest of the butter. When melted and slightly browned, add the Brussels sprouts and cook until slightly charred (three minutes), then turn the heat down to medium. Season with salt and add in a squeeze of lemon juice.
7/ Remove the Brussels sprouts from the pan, add the pancetta cubes and cook over a low heat for a few minutes to render out the fat and get them fully crisp.
8/ Place the ribbons on a serving platter and spoon over the Brussels sprouts.
9/ Break the ricotta into pieces and scatter over the ribbons. Drizzle a little of the mint dressing and garnish with dill and spring onion slices.

SERVES 4. Per 315g serving: 1 463kJ, 31g fat (9g sat), 12g carbs, 600mg sodium, 4g fibre, 8g protein

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