Sausage That Eats Like a Meal

You know you're in trouble when you tell the butcher that the new sausage sounds good, then you ask what you should eat it with and he has no damn clue. You created it my friend, so you had to have something in mind. You could throw it on the grill, he says. Listen up asshole, it's 42 out with a strong chance of rain for the next five days, so maybe you can do a little better than that. Well he couldn't so we had to come up with our own plan. There are many great sausages out there like the Amylu line of chicken sausages and the various types of Aidell's packaged meats. I prefer to get the raw sausages at the butcher shop since they typically have the freshest seasoning and can take more flavor.

When you see a white wine and garlic turkey sausage, you can't help but be intrigued. Making that into the centerpiece of a meal is another story. We chose to go the typical pasta route, but wanted to switch up how things came together. Our theory was that if the flavor is in the sausage, it probably pairs well with the sausage.

Start by browning your sausage in a stainless steel pan with a little olive oil. Once browned on all sides, toss in a thinly sliced shallot and a few cloves of smashed garlic. Feel free to add more oil if necessary, but not too much. Sweat the aromatics with some salt and pepper for a minute or so, then throw in four full leaves of swiss chard or rainbow chard. Wash the chard, then slice into strips across the leaves and stems. Use both parts. The chard should wilt down after about two minutes, then you can put the chard and sausages on a plate. Throw some white wine into the pan to deglaze the remaining garlic and flavor bits. Let the wine reduce, then remove the heat, add a pat of butter to thicken, and toss in any type of pasta cooked al dente. Finish your plate with some parmesan and you've got yourself a nice meal.

Restaurant Recap

I think I've changed my Mexican food allegiance from Chipotle to Qdoba now that they've entered into the St. Charles market. They have a fajita ranchera burrito that is outstanding. Some lemony/tomato sauce that isn't spicy, but adds plenty of flavor is the key to this combination. The grilled vegetables are also on point. They also have a nice savory pesto made with poblanos that can be used as a sauce or a bold/spicy bbq sauce. These flavors make all the difference. Be careful with the salsas because they pack some serious heat. The green medium salsa puts some hot salsas to shame. I'm looking forward to trying the 3 cheese queso at some point despite its nuclear apperance. I would not recommend the guacamole that is really just mashed up avocado with a sprinkle of cilantro. I suggest you stop by for a visit when you see yourself by one of these fine establishments.