Lemony Brussel Sprout Kale Salad with Leeks, Pancetta and Pecorino

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I’ve been loving Brussel sprouts this fall. Not that this is a new love for me, but over the past month or two I’ve been eating a lot of them, so I decided that I wanted Brussel sprouts for Thanksgiving this year.

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I tried a few different ideas prior to the holiday to see what I thought would be best. I tried a Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Warm Honey Glaze from Bon Appetit to start. It was good but not quite as good as I hoped. I decided that I wanted more of a fresh, lemony recipe. I thought about the flavors I like and the ways I’ve made Brussels in the past and I came up with my own recipe.

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I decided to use lots of lemon zest and juice for freshness and brightness. I wanted a punch of flavor with the cheese so I went with a sharp and salty Pecorino. And for something fun that I don’t typically do I decided to add crispy pancetta on the top, using some of the pancetta fat to roast the Brussel sprouts. A little garlic, some kale for bulk, and dried cherries for a little sweetness were the final touches.

I have to say, I loved this combination. I thought it was pretty fantastic, and I would definitely do it again and again! I wrote out a general idea of what I did below. I didn’t really measure anything when I did it, but this is pretty close.

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Lemony Brussel Sprout Kale Salad with Leeks, Pancetta and Pecorino
Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb pancetta

  • 2 quarts of Brussel sprouts

  • 2 large leeks

  • Butter

  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced

  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano Locatelli cheese

  • 1 pound kale, torn into bite sized pieces

  • Dried cherries

Directions
Cut the pancetta into small cubes and sauté until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is slightly crispy. Remove the pancetta pieces from the pan and reserve the fat.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Halve Brussel sprouts, toss with the reserved pancetta fat and kosher salt and roast in a single layer for 15-20 minutes (length of time will depend on your over and your desired done-ness of the Brussel sprouts).

In the meantime, thinly slice the leeks into rounds and saute in a little butter and kosher salt until wilted and tender and starting to brown. Add the garlic during the last few seconds of cooking to warm slightly, then remove from heat. Add the kale and the lemon juice and zest and mix it altogether so the kale wilts slightly in the heat of the leeks.

Once the Brussel sprouts are done add them to the leek-kale mixture and stir to combine. Add in the pecorino cheese and dried cherries and toss a few more times. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and top with the pancetta, and sprinkle with a few more cherries and a little extra cheese. Serve warm or room temperature.