Sausages made with ground turkey or chicken were once a sorry substitute for meaty pork links, but as these things go, the poultry version has improved dramatically and is now quite good. Here, they’re cooked in a pot of white beans to make a stewy dish that’s sprinkled with breadcrumbs and toasted under the broiler at the last minute.
Brown the links and set them aside while you can simmer canned beans with root vegetables and tomatoes. They need a five-minute headstart. Return the sausages to the pan and cook them in the beans. Meanwhile, stir panko or dry white breadcrumbs with olive oil, sprinkle them on the dish, and brown it to form a little crust. Beans absorb whatever liquid you add to them, so if you’re assembling this in advance to reheat and brown later (a good idea here), add an extra cup of chicken stock to the pot. You can serve them in the Dutch oven you used to make the dish, or transfer it all to a gratin dish to brown. It’s plain-looking, and reasonably priced, even for six servings. It will win you with its pleasing and comforting flavors.
SHERYL JULIAN
Serves 6
5 tablespoons olive oil, or more if needed
6 chicken or turkey sausages (1½ pounds total)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 can (16 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed in a bowl
2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or other small white beans, drained but not rinsed
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
½ cup panko or other dry white breadcrumbs
Extra olive oil (for sprinkling)
Extra chopped fresh oregano (for garnish)
1. In a large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the sausages and cook without disturbing for 2 minutes. Turn and cook another side for 2 minutes, then a third side for 2 minutes more. Use tongs to transfer them to a plate; they will not be cooked through.
2. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 6 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften. Add more oil to the pan if it seems dry.
3. Stir in the crushed red pepper and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until the vegetables are coated all over.
4. Add the beans and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the stock, a generous pinch each of salt and black pepper, and the oregano. Turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan.
5. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Return the sausages to the pan, setting them on the beans. Cover and cook 10 minutes more or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the sausages registers 165 degrees. (Total simmering time is 15 minutes.)
6. Turn on the broiler. Slide an oven shelf at least 12 inches from the broiler element.
7. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are coated with oil and starting to color but not brown.
8. If you like, at this point, transfer the sausages and beans to a 10-inch gratin or baking dish. Whether you transfer the mixture or leave it in the pot, cut each sausage in half.
9. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture onto the sausages and beans. Slide the pan under the broiler for 2 minutes, watching it carefully, or just until the breadcrumbs start to brown. Sprinkle with olive oil and extra oregano. Sheryl Julian
Sheryl Julian can be reached at sheryl.julian@globe.com.
