SAUSAGE AND POTATO STEW IN LEMON ROSEMARY BROTH

Another very simple delicious dish.

Spring nights are still quite cool here in the highlands.  While robust wintery meals have been vanquished from the table, there are often evenings that need the “chill” taken off.  This stew has a  summery touch of rosemary and lemon that makes it a perfect segway into the warmer seasons. Because it’s easy and such an interesting mix of flavors  it has become one of my “Go-To” meals.

All it needs is….notice  I say “needs” ….a beautiful yeasty crunchy baguette.    If I recall correctly the first go around making this dish was only because I had an excellent baguette on hand and needed something to dip it in.  This is goodness all by itself, naked, no bread will be missed.  C’est la vie!

We gobbled this down so fast I didn’t have a chance to photograph it in the bowls.

You need:

2 lbs. sweet or hot Italian sausages, cut up into halves or thirds.  I use both sweet and hot’

3 lbs of baby red potatoes.  Culinary license here – can use all purpose and cut them in big chunks

1 lb Escarole, Endive or both

2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin *always better for you

1 cup dry white wine

2 quarts chicken broth

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dry

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Method:

In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil and drop cut up sausages in and cook over medium high heat, turning over from time to time until they are browned on the outside.  Add potatoes, rosemary, garlic and half of the lemon zest and toss to coat.  Cook these, stirring until the potatoes start to brown just a little bit

After this is browned reduce heat to medium and stir in the wine and cook until it is reduced to about half, stirring.  This will smell wonderful. A this point go ahead and add all of the chicken broth.  The goal is to have enough broth to cover the ingredients by at least an inch or two.  You can add more broth or water and chicken bouillon if you are concerned you won’t have enough liquid.  It’s not a soup, but it is going to need a spoon (or a baguette :)) when you serve it to get all the yummy broth.  In the meantime chop the endive and escarole, making sure they are properly rinsed and drained in a colander 

This is going to look like you have far more greens than you’ll ever be able to fit into the stew.  Don’t be alarmed.  Trust me, they will cook down so fast you’ll wonder if you added enough of them.

I’ve only placed about 1/4 of the chopped greens in the pot and it’s over flowing.  What you will do is gently push the greens under and into the broth and watch how fast they cook down.  It takes less than a minute, then you keep on adding it in until all the greens are cooking at a slow simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Once the potatoes and greens are tender it’s ready to adjust seasonings, add the rest of the lemon zest and serve.  This is where you’ll add salt and pepper by tasting it to see if you need any.  Sausages and broth are somewhat salty.  Our son encouraged Kelly, our soon-to-be-daughter-in-law to take notes on this for the future

All done!

Note to self:  This dish can be over cooked to the point where the greens are mushy and so are the potatoes.  Don’t let that happen!

It’s so very very nice when a clean up committee (of one) comes along to finish the job!  Thanks Honey 🙂

You are THE BEST!!!