Accounting for Taste

Here’s a one-skillet weeknight main dish that’s versatile, uncomplicated and sure to satisfy. Cooking sausages on top of the lentil mixture infuses this meal with rich, meaty flavor.

In lieu of Italian sausage, we used what we had on hand, one pound of homemade Garlic-Wine-Romano sausage from a local meat market. While the meat was 50% shy of the total amount in the original recipe, it suited the two of us just fine. All-in-all, an easy, quick weeknight recipe with a lot of flexibility.

The bonus here is, other than a skillet and a chef’s knife, there’s not a lot of clean up!

Italian Sausage with Lentils and Kale

Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ lbs. sweet Italian sausage
2 shallots, peeled, halved, and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 oz. kale, stemmed and chopped
¾ cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1 (15-oz.) can lentils, rinsed
3 Tbsp. plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
1 Tbsp. water

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate.
Reduce heat to medium, add shallots and garlic to now-empty skillet, and cook until vegetables start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add kale, broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cover and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
Stir in lentils. Arrange browned sausage on top of lentil mixture and transfer skillet to oven. Cook, uncovered, until sausage registers 160 degrees, about 12 minutes. Whisk yogurt, mustard, and water together in bowl; drizzle over top. Serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

Hailing from Milk Street, this flavorful meal-in-a-pot was inspired by Portuguese arroz de grelos com farinheira, a comforting combination of garlicky rice cooked with turnip greens and sausage. This version uses supple lacinato kale (also called dinosaur or Tuscan kale) instead of turnip greens.

Linguiça calabresa is Calabrian chili-seasoned smoke-cured pork sausage seasoned with garlic and paprika, popular in the countries of Portugal and Brazil, that typically is sold already cooked or smoked. If it’s not available (which it was not in our case), or if you prefer to use a sausage without any spice, kielbasa is a fine substitute.

Don’t forget to let the rice cook until dry after it’s added to the pot. This evaporates any water left from rinsing the grains. Also, when simmering is complete, be sure to allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking and the ingredients to absorb moisture.

Lemon-Garlic Rice with Sausage and Kale

Servings: 4
Time: 55 min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
8 oz. linguiça or kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
¾-1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
1 medium bunch lacinato kale (about 12 oz.), stemmed and chopped into rough 1-inch pieces
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the sausage, garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage begins to brown, about 3 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring, until sizzling and dry, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the kale a handful at a time, stirring until wilted after each addition.
Stir in 2¼ cups water and ½ teaspoon black pepper, then bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce to low and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice mixture with a fork.
Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and black pepper.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Courtney Hill for Milk Street