Another spur of the moment dish with what was on hand. You can use regular or spicy Italian sausages, it is good either way. I served it with pasta, although it would pair nicely with farro, barley, or rice.
INGREDIENTS:
5 Italian sausages (hot or mild), cut into ½ inch slices 1 bunch of chard, stems and leaves separated and washed and drained, stems diced into ¼ inch pieces and leaves chopped into 1 inch bits ½ brown onion, peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces 1 pound button mushrooms, cut into ½ inch wedges, or sliced ¼ inch thick 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, de-germed, and minced Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or scant teaspoon dried ¼ cup Marsala Olive oil as needed 2 ounces of light chicken stock or water 2 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into pea-sized bits
METHOD:
Heat a large sauté pan that has a lid over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add the sliced sausage. Be sure the sausage is not crowded as you want it to brown. If it is too close it will just steam. Cook sausage until browned-it should be cooked all the way through at this point. Remove to a bowl.
Add the chard stems and onions to the pan and toss to coat with the oil form the sausage. Cook to soften and color. Season with a little herbs and salt and pepper, then half the garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant and soft. Remove the vegetables to the sausage bowl.
If the pan is dry, add enough oil to film the pan bottom. When hot, add the mushrooms, tossing to coat them with the oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until mushrooms are softening and coloring. Add the other half of the garlic and toss to mix in. Cook until fragrant, and then add in half the Marsala. Toss to coat the mushrooms and cook until the liquid is almost all absorbed.
Sprinkle in herbs, and add in the reserved vegetables.
Toss to mix and cook to heat through.
Add the chard leaves to the pan and toss to mix in. Add the rest of the Marsala and cook down by half.
Add the chicken stock or water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan just long enough to wilt the chard. Remove the top and cook down the pan liquid by 80 percent.
Scatter the butter bits around the pan and swirl the pan to melt the butter and get it to mix with the liquid still in the pan. It should emulsify and form a light sauce. (This step is optional. If you prefer, skip the butter and just cook the liquid down until almost gone.)
The dish is ready to serve. If you wish, toss with orecchiette pasta or the grain of your choice.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
As it says, the butter is an option that you can skip. If you a rich stock, just cook that down and add a dollop of good oil to the pan, mixing the two to form a sauce of sorts.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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