sausage Archives - Page 2 of 2 -

I received several pattypan squash in last week’s CSA haul and they sat in our refrigerator for days because I was unsettled as to how best to use them. Pattypan are part of the summer squash family and can be used similarly to how you would use zucchini or yellow summer squash. I wanted to keep the unique shape and those beautiful scalloped edges so I finally decided upon a simple sausage and sorghum stuffing. Ever since I saw Naturally Ella’s sweet corn sorghum stuffed peppers, I’ve wanted to try using sorghum. Erin says is it makes an excellent stuffing grain and truly it does. It has a fairly mild taste and reminds me of millet, although it’s a bit chewier and nuttier. Here I tossed the sorghum with some turkey Italian sausage, feta, parsley, and pine nuts. I piled this all into hollowed out pattypan halves and sprinkled some toasted garlic panko breadcrumbs on top. If you can’t find pattypan, zucchini would be a natural substitute for this lovely summer dinner.

Jambalaya is one of those comforting meals I remember my mom cooking for our family as I was growing up. She mostly cooked Chinese food for us, but she also adventured into other types of cuisine, one of those being Cajun. After our first baby was born, she made huge batches of gumbo and jambalaya as freezer meals for us. (Thank you, Mom!) Jambalaya is a hearty one-pot meal that usually includes rice, vegetables, and protein. Most recipes I’ve seen use white rice, but I’ve adapted this particular recipe to use brown rice by adjusting the amount stock and cooking time. There are two types of jambalaya- Cajun and Creole. Creole jambalaya is tomato-based, Cajun is not, and the Creole version will often include seafood. This Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya is of the Cajun variety and is seasoned with a spice mix of chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and garlic powder. It takes some patience to reduce the stock as the vegetables and meats are being cooked, but after one bite of deliciousness it will all be worth it! The reduction of the chicken stock is essential for developing the deep flavor of the jambalaya, so try not to take shortcuts. I try to make this on chilly days when standing by the stove is warming and comforting. This makes a fairly large quantity so it’s great to serve at gatherings and the leftovers taste even better the next day after the flavors have had some time to meld.

One-Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya {with Brown Rice}

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 (3½- to 4-pound) chicken, roasted (I used a rotisserie chicken)
2 medium onions, 1 quartered, 1 diced small
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound nitrate-free smoked sausage
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, diced (optional)
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 bay leaves
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2½ cups uncooked brown rice

Instructions

Remove meat from the chicken and discard skin. Save the accumulated juices and fat from the chicken. Use hands or two forks to shred the meat into pieces. Set meat aside in the refrigerator.
In a large pot or cast iron Dutch oven, place the carcass, quartered onion, and any vegetable trimmings with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours. Strain pot and discard solids. You should have at least 7 cups of chicken stock.
In the same pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sear until sausage starts to brown. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.
Return the pot to heat and add the butter. After butter melts, add the diced onion and sauté until onion starts to become golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add ¼ cup of chicken stock and scrape any brown bits loose. After the onions are mostly dry, add another ½ cup of stock. When stock is almost reduced again, add the peppers, scallions, celery, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, sea salt, black pepper, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and tomato paste. Cook the vegetables for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until they begin to stick to the pot. Add another ¼ cup of stock and reduce until dry. Next add the shredded chicken, another 1 cup stock, and the accumulated juices from the chicken. Reduce the liquid by half.
Add the brown rice and 5 cups of chicken stock. Cover and cook on low heat for about one hour, until rice is evenly cooked.

Notes

This works best in a cast-iron dutch oven if you have one.

Save the trimmings from the vegetables and add them to the stock for more flavor.

adapted from Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link's Louisiana