Braised Sausages with Broccoli and Peppers

Her’s a recipe from a TV series , Nick Stellino, on PBS it varies slightly from the broadcast version very tasty results.

• sausages, sweet or spicy 1 and 1/2 pounds
• 3 tablespoons extra version olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves +- your taste, thick slice
• 1 red onion, medium dice
• 2 red pepper dice
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes +- you taste
• 1/2 white wine (or melomel which is what I had on hand)
• 3/4 pound broccoli florets, 1 inch pieces
• 1 and 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• 3 tablespoons pecorino or romano cheese

Ingredients in place, there is about a 30 minutes simmer finishing the recipe so it won’t be quite as fast as an oriental dish. I’m a bit shy on the sausage 1 and 1/4 pound is what the package from the market was.

Not covered on the broadcast version, how to make salsicciotti, small sausages which are more presentable per serving. Pinch the sausage mid way and twist so the casing causes you to have smaller sausages, then cut where the twist is so you get mini sausages.

Going for the typical braising technic, start with the hot olive oil ,medium heat, then add the sausage, roll them to brown on all sides, just 2 to 3 minutes, remove from pan to set aside.

In the sausage infused hot oil start the garlic to brown at the edges just a minute or two.

Add the onion and the red pepper cook 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the red pepper flakes.

Return the sausages to the pan, and stir 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the wine and you guessed it ! stir for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the broccoli, (since I had some cauliflower I threw that in as well)

…….and stir 2 to 3 minutes (you knew that!)

Getting towards the end, add the chicken stock, stir to distribute sauce and components boil and reduce heat and simmer, 30 to 35 minutes. I mistakenly covered the pan, the idea is to simmer uncovered to reduce the sauce. I uncovered later and simmered to a finish and drained some of the sauce before serving.  One final step is to go off heat, add the butter and cheese and stir to incorporate.

Now what would be an accompaniment to this dish?

OK ! get out the pasta maker and some dough made beforehand, roll and process for spaghetti type noodle.

Have you serving plates in a slightly warm oven, boil enough of the pasta for a serving, with large slotted spoon, drain, arrange on plate and top with 2 sausage with the veggie mixture, anoint with the sauce and serve your guest or place the pan on the table with the pasta family style.

 

 

Roasted bell pepper salad

A bit of a twist from a pasta / bacon salad , inspired from a recipe found on the internet made with available ingredients.

Instead of oven roasting the peppers, I opted to flame char the peppers on the burner

The peppers were then, sliced thin.

Using a vegetable peeler, slice the yellow squash, and chop into fine noodle like pieces if you don’t have a spiralizer.

dressing, 3 tbls olive oil 1 tbls seasoning (oregano) 2 tbls rice vinegar lemon juice salt and pepper

dress and toss, shaved Parmesan and bacon bits added

A change from the usual salad.

green red bean chili

A few additions of greens to this chili:

1 can of tomatoes the 28 ounce variety

ground beef, pork or whatever , amount to suit taste

mushrooms

greens :broccoli , kale, bell peppers, what have you

onion

garlic

paprika and/or other seasonings

heat: Serrano

Red beans, soaked at least overnight and then par boiled till slightly firm.

Prepped up and ready to go

brown the beef and saute the onions

add the can of tomatoes

add the prepped ingredients, red beans, simmer

serving suggestion

on corn chip, egg and sour cream

 

 

 

An interesting salad

This recipe was a re definition of a salad.

Close  to the original recipe,  very filling for a salad that I had about 1/2 of the total amount.

Nuts are said to be a superfood, but I won’t profess about what you (should) eat,  the decision is up to you.

Quinoa salad  from Mrs. Twinkle a WordPress blog .

Now I’m open to a lot of grains, bread, couscous, barley, so this looked like an interesting combination. Now those of you either that have a nut allergy or turned off by a meal with no meat, yes this recipe could be modified from the original but I think that would lose something in the translation.

Being used to the usual greens and tomato type salad, with an oil and vinegar type dressing,  this is a pleasant diversion. Little if any modification to the recipe. Other than sesame oil double and skip the olive oil in the dressing, and some chopped ginger added to the main mix, ( I would taste and bring up the level of ginger in the dressing). The crunch of the red cabbage and the nuttiness of the dressing, on a bed of grains is satifiying. 

 I use double black soy sauce for the dressing. Melt the peanut butter and honey in a microwave safe bowl for about 30 seconds. Stir and finish the dressing and adjust to taste.

Assembled

I resisted to add any heat to this recipe!

Spanish Rice Casserole

Spanish rice casserole
Rice, two cups

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Water
Tomato paste about 1/2 can
Several spoonfuls salsa
Chopped onion
Chopped garlic
3/4 habanero pepper (more or less depending on heat level preferred.)
1 red bell pepper
Total above  ingredients (less rice) should be about 4 cups.

Place in a casserole dish, cover with foil and bake at about 320 for 30-40 minutes, till liquid is absorbed.

remove and top with cheese if desired, return to the oven and broil till cheese is melted.