Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

A recipe we stole from an incredible dinner we had at Mado (thank you again, Groupon):

First, we fried slices of deli-fresh pancetta in a saucepan.

We took the pancetta out, dried it on a towel and chopped it.  Meanwhile, we sautéed a couple chopped shallots and a clove of garlic in the pan, adding a tiny bit of olive oil to the pancetta drippings.

As the shallots cooked, we pulled leaves off the sprouts, leaving out the hard (more bitter) cabagey innards.

 
Once the shallots were translucent, we tossed in the sprout leaves, cooking only a minute or two until they were at that sweet spot between crunchy and tender.

Added in the chopped pancetta, and voila:

I'm not sure how brussels sprouts got the "grossest vegetable" reputation, because I think they're phenomenal.  I love their meaty flavor and firm texture, and the pairing here with the salty pancetta and sweet shallots is just fantastic.  This is a dish that is spectacular as a side dish, but hearty enough to stand on its own for dinner.

And THAT, my friends, is what I call "mostly plants."