Red Wine Sausage, Polenta & Black Kale Recipe
Make Red Wine Sausage, Polenta & Black Kale Recipe in just 55m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Red Wine Sausages
Creamy Polenta
Black Kale (Cavolo Nero) & Finish
Method
Red Wine Sausages
- 1
Brown the sausages
Pat sausages dry. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove sausages to a plate and set aside.
- 2
Sauté aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook until softened and translucent, 5–6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- 3
Deglaze and simmer
Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup dry red wine to deglaze, scraping browned bits from the pan. Add 1 cup stock, thyme, bay leaf, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Return sausages to the pan so they are partially submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook 12–15 minutes until sausages are cooked through (internal temp 160°F/71°C) and sauce has reduced slightly. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Creamy Polenta
- 4
- 5
Whisk in polenta
Slowly whisk in 1 cup coarse polenta in a steady stream to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low.
- 6
Cook and stir
Simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until polenta thickens and is tender, 20–25 minutes for traditional coarse polenta. If mixture becomes too thick, add up to 1/4 cup extra hot water or milk. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Adjust seasoning with 1/4 tsp black pepper and more salt to taste.
Black Kale (Cavolo Nero) & Finish
- 7
Sauté kale
While polenta cooks (or in a second skillet), heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add shredded black kale, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Sauté, tossing frequently, until wilted and tender, 5–7 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and remove from heat. If using, squeeze half a lemon over the greens for brightness.
- 8
Assemble and serve
Spoon creamy polenta onto warm plates. Top with a generous portion of sautéed black kale. Place 2–3 red wine sausages on each plate and spoon some of the reduced red-wine sauce over the sausages and polenta. Garnish with an extra grating of Parmesan or a few thyme leaves if desired.