Peppery Sausage Ragout

Ragouts are usually heavily spiced and are considered a stew in many kitchens. But here, eating it with a fork is just as easy as a spoon. This dish is perfect for the colder months, so make a batch, start a fire and cuddle up with a bowl of ragout, your better half… or both!

COOK TIME
25 

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large, tart apple
• 2 links sweet or hot Italian sausage, sliced and halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb potatoes, diced small
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup whole kernel corn
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce

For the Polenta

• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and cracked black pepper

Preparation

• 1 Peel, core, and dice apple small; set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add sausage, cooking and turning until completely cooked through, about 4 minutes.
• 2 Remove sausage and set aside. Add oil to the same skillet until it is hot. Add potatoes, onion, bell pepper, corn, and apple, stirring to combine well.
• 3 Reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for about 8-­10 minutes, stirring frequently until potatoes are tender.
• 4 Meanwhile, whisk ketchup, mustard, orange juice and hot sauce; set aside.
• 5 When potatoes are ready, remove the lid and add sausage back into the pan along with ketchup mixture.
• 6 Stir well, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• 7 When 5 minutes are left, make polenta. Bring water and milk to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan.
• 8 Slowly stream the cornmeal into the water the mixture with one hand and whisk with the other, until all cornmeal has been added.
• 9 Immediately remove from heat and whisk in salt and pepper.
• 10 To serve, ladle a third of the polenta on a plate along with a third of the ragout. Repeat with 2 additional plates and serve hot