Sausages & Peppers with Polenta

An Italian classic.  Ease to throw together, and excellent for entertaining.  The sausages and peppers can be made completely ahead of time, then just reheated before serving.

Sausages & Peppers

1 t vegetable oil

1 lb Italian sausages (mild or hot)

1 onion, sliced

2 bell peppers, de-seeded and sliced

227 g button mushrooms, cut in half (or quartered if large)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 t red wine vinegar

1 t sugar

½ t salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 T tomato paste

¼ c chicken stock, if needed

Cut sausages in half crosswise.  Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat until hot; add the oil, tilting the pan to cover the surface.  Add the sausages, and reduce heat to medium-low.  Brown all four sides of each sausage until golden; remove to a plate.

Add the onion, peppers, mushrooms and garlic to the frying pan (reduce heat if pan seems too hot).  Continue cooking slowly until the mushrooms have released their liquid and most of it has evaporated.  Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and tomato paste.  If sauce is too thick, thin out as necessary with up to ¼ c chicken stock.

Return the sausages to the frying pan, increase heat to medium, and stir through until heated.  Garnish with fresh basil, if you've got it.  Serve with polenta (either soft or hard).

Polenta

1 c fine cornmeal (I like medium grind)

3 or 4 cups of liquid (I use 50/50 chicken stock & water)

¾ t salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 t chopped fresh rosemary or thyme

1 T butter

¼ c grated Parmesan

If making soft polenta, use four cups of liquid.  If making hard polenta (to cool, slice and grill or sauté), use three cups of liquid.

Combine cornmeal and cold liquid in medium saucepan, and whisk. Cook over medium heat, stirring often.  Reduce heat to medium-low as mixture begins to thicken, stirring every two minutes or so.  Total cooking time will be 20 – 25 minutes (20 for soft and 25 for hard). 

Remove from heat, add herbs, butter and Parmesan.  Serve immediately for soft polenta, for stiff polenta, pour into lightly greased 8 X 8 or loaf pan; spread out evening.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill.  Slice as desired, and either grill or sauté until browned.

Peperonata

This is my version of the Italian peperonata; I don’t claim it to be authentic.  This has a multitude of uses, from tossing it in pasta, to heaping it on crostini, to serving alongside roasted or grilled sausages. 

I typically serve this at room temperature or slightly warmed.  Delicious!

1 T olive oil

2 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 medium onions, sliced

4 assorted bell peppers, sliced

Salt & pepper to taste

1 T red wine vinegar

1 t sugar

Pinch hot pepper flakes

1 t dried basil, oregano, or thyme (optional)

In a cool medium saucepan, add everything in the order given.  Place over medium heat, and toss once it begins to sizzle.  Cook for ten minutes or so until everything has rendered it’s juices, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.  Partially cover, and allow the mixture to bubble away gently for an hour, stirring every once in a while.  Once finished, remove from heat, and cool to desired temperature. 



Stuffed Peppers

If by chance you can bake these the day before (minus the cheese), they will be even more flavourful.  Just reheat, covered, in a 300^o oven for 30 minutes, then top with the cheese and broil. 

 This serves two, but is easily multiplied. 

1/3 lb ground meat (sausage, pork, lamb, beef, chicken, turkey…)

¼ lb button mushrooms, diced

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ c of your favourite tomato-based pasta sauce (homemade or otherwise)

1 t Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper (optional, depending on the seasoning in your pasta sauce)

4 T raw rice

Chopped parsley (optional)

Two bell peppers, cut in half top to bottom, seeded & deveined

¼ c grated Parmesan cheese (or whatever you have)

In dry saucepan over medium heat, brown meat.  Once juices have evaporated, add mushrooms, onion and garlic.  Continue cooking until the mushroom juices have evaporated as well.  Remove from heat and add the pasta sauce and Italian seasoning.  Taste to determine if salt and pepper are required.  Add rice and parsley, and stir to combine.  Spoon into the bell pepper halves, and place peppers cut side up in an 8 X 8 pan.  

Cover with foil, and bake in a preheated 350^o oven for one hour.  Uncover, sprinkle the cheese over the peppers, and broil until melted and beginning to brown.