Sausage Peppers With Polenta Food

SAUSAGE AND PEPPER SKEWERS WITH GRILLED POLENTA

Steps:

• Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling slowly whisk in the polenta, making sure to keep whisking until smooth and thick about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the cooked polenta into the baking pan and smooth the top. Let cool until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. When the polenta is cool, invert it onto a cutting board and slice it into 12 squares. Brush the squares with a little canola oil and grill until they are heated through and have nice grill marks, about 2 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, if you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes or while you prepare the sausage and peppers.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Arrange the sausages on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes giving them a 1/4 turn every couple of minutes. Remove them to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then cut them into 1/2-inch thick pieces. The sausage will not be completely cooked through. It will finish cooking on the skewers with the peppers and onions.
• While sausage is cooking, core and slice the peppers. Cut them and the onion into 1 by 1-inch pieces.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons canola oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning and mustard.
• When you are ready, heat the grill or grill pan over medium heat. Thread each skewer with 3 pieces of the sausage, 4 pieces of onion and green pepper and 2 pieces of the red pepper making sure to alternate the ingredients. Brush them with the oil and vinegar mixture and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill the skewers on both sides until they are hot and sizzling, about 6 to 8 minutes. Arrange them on a serving platter and serve with the grilled polenta. Reserve 2 skewers for Round 2 recipe Sausage and Pepper Ziti.

POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a simmer and add the polenta. Cook over low heat, stirring often, 45 minutes. Stir in the butter, Parmesan and olive oil and keep warm.
• Add the tomatoes, sausage, garlic, peppers, onion and crushed red pepper to a large cast-iron pot and simmer, 30 minutes. Serve sauce over polenta, topped with some ricotta and basil.

POLENTA WITH SPICY SAUSAGE AND RED PEPPER RELISH

Steps:

• Brush a 9 by 13-inch baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
• In a medium sauce pot bring chicken broth to a boil over medium heat. Add the salt, pepper and polenta and whisk until thick about 4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and pour out into the prepared baking sheet, spreading into a smooth layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to set up, about 1 hour. This can also be done the night before.
• In a medium sauce pot combine all the relish ingredients. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 30 minutes until thick. Cool to room temperature and transfer to a bowl. This will keep, up to 2 weeks, refrigerated in a sealed container.
• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish and put in the preheated oven to keep warm.
• While the sausage is cooking, add the canola oil to a large skillet and heat over medium- high heat, around 350 degrees F. Remove the polenta from the refrigerator and cut into 1 1/2 by 1 1/2-inch squares. Fry the polenta squares in batches until lightly browned and crispy about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Arrange the polenta on a serving platter.
• Slice the sausage into 1/2-inch thick slices and put on top of the fried polenta squares. Top with a bit of red pepper relish and garnish with a fresh parsley leaf.

SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS WITH FRIED POLENTA

Steps:

• First make the polenta. Bring the chicken stock to a boil, add the salt and gently whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the cornmeal thickens, stirring frequently, about 15-20 minutes. (Note: The exact ratio of stock to cornmeal you will need will vary depending on the coarseness of the cornmeal.
• If you are worried, start with 3 cups of stock and keep the other cup hot in a small saucepan and add until you have the consistency you desire.) Remove from the heat and add the butter, stir well until melted. Lightly oil a baking dish and transfer the hot polenta to the baking dish. Spread evenly, the polenta should be 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Refrigerate uncovered until firm, about 2 hours.
• When the polenta is firm transfer it to a cutting board. Slice the polenta into the desired sizes. I like to use a round pastry cutter to create round slices of polenta, which looks nice but inevitably leads to waste - or what I like to call chef's treats. Cutting triangles would probably be just as visually appealing and less wasteful.
• Slice the onion and peppers thin and then saute over medium heat in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, about 25 minutes. The peppers and onions should be soft and caramelized.
• While the onions and peppers are cooking, slice the sausage links into 1 inch pieces and cook over medium-high heat, until well browned on all sides. When the sausage is almost completely cooked through, transfer it to the pan with the peppers and onions, including most of the sausage fat that has rendered in the pan (try to reserve about a tablespoon in the pan), toss well and reduce the heat to keep warm while frying the polenta slices.
• In the saute pan that the sausage was cooked in, fry the polenta slices on medium-high heat until lightly golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes per side. If there isn't enough sausage fat to fry all of the slices use olive oil to finish frying.
• Serve the sausage and peppers over the polenta slices.

SAUSAGE-AND-PEPPER RAGU OVER POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high; melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pierce sausages with a fork; add to skillet. Cook until browned in places, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Meanwhile, cut vegetables into 1/2-inch slices; add to skillet. Season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until browned in places, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Return sausages to skillet with 3/4 cup broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover; simmer until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• In a saucepan, combine polenta, 2 cups broth, and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Serve, with ragu, parsley, and more cheese and pepper.

POLENTA CASSEROLE WITH SAUTEED BELL PEPPERS AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the polenta in half-inch slices and cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Press together to make one layer.
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook until the meat loses its raw color, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes, cook about 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes and juice; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Take off heat and stir in the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread sausage mixture evenly over the polenta and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in middle rack of oven until the polenta is heated through, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

SAUSAGE & PEPPERS WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring milk and 1 teaspoon salt to boiling in a medium saucepan.
• Pierce sweet Italian sausages with a fork. Place in a 10-inch deep skillet and cook, covered, over medium-high heat until browned.
• Meanwhile stir instant polenta into boiling milk.
• Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoons EACH grated parm and butter.
• Pour polenta onto serving platter, spreading evenly.
• To sausages, add peppers and tomatoes.
• Reduce heat to medium, partially cover and cook 5 minutes.
• Pour mixture over polenta and top with additional grated Parm.