20 things to do with tomatoes: #5

I think this recipe originally came from Justin, who sells sausage at our farmer's market, but we've adapted it so much that I can't even remember the way he originally related it.  Here's our version, though this is one of those recipes that you adapt to whatever is in the fridge, so this is a suggestion of a place to start more than a real recipe.

Sausage and Kale
(Note that there are a lot more vegetables than just kale in here, and don't limit yourself just to kale either.  But this is what we call it, even when we make it with chard.)

1 bunch of kale, chard, or other dark leafy greens, stems removed, coarsely chopped
small onion, chopped
a couple small summer squashes, cut into chunks
a couple sweet peppers, cut into chunks
a few cloves of garlic, minced
a few tomatoes that will hold their own - romas and meaty heirlooms work well - chopped
up to a pound of good sausage, cooked separately, removed from casing, and crumbled
    note:  we use pork sausage from Justin Severino who comes up with incredible flavor combinations using seasonal ingredients.  I lovelovelove his chorizo, which is Spanish style, and his ever-changing merguez sausage, which starts with harissa but has been evolving.  But a good italian sausage would be fine, too.

Saute onions and peppers in olive oil in a large pan over med-high heat until soft.  Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes longer.  Add squash and greens (hold out the squash a bit longer if you are using delicata or other softer squashes), lower heat to medium and cover to steam the greens.  When the greens are almost cooked, add sausage and stir well to combine.  Continue steaming until greens are cooked to your liking.  Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

We usually eat this out of a bowl, just as it is.  This recipe tends to come out kind of soupy, so you could also serve it over brown or white rice, polenta, bulgur, barley, or even mashed potatoes.  Or with a hunk of good bread to soak up the juices.

This is one of our staple meals, and we have it once or even twice a week, especially in winter when chard and kale are pretty plentiful and warm, soupy comfort food is what we crave.  And I have a confession:  we often make this with a can of organic chopped tomatoes instead of fresh.  If I canned my own tomatoes, I'd totally use them here, but I've never actually gotten around to doing that.  So, cans from the grocery when tomatoes are no longer in season.

Comments

[bridgette]

mmm. I'm going to try this one this week. I just got a bunch of kale from my csa box and wasn't sure what to do with it. And anything with chorizo is good...
thanks!