Roasted Sausage, Pepper, and Potato

This is one of my favorite things to make. It has such a meaty flavor but uses such a small amount of meat. I like to use meat to flavor dishes but I will rarely serve up a big hunk of it unless my husband asks for it.

I also like to make this when I don't have a lot of fresh produce on hand. It has everything I like in one dish: spicy, starchy, and meaty. I think I saw Rachel Ray make a version of this recipe on her TV show several years ago. It is probably Italian in origin but I haven't followed an actual recipe as long as I can remember.

There are two things that I love about this recipe: 1. It's incredibly versatile; I can use almost any variation of pepper, onion, and potato and this will still come out tasting wonderful. 2. Roasting is a very forgiving method of preparation--I can use the pepper even if it's getting a little rubbery.

It gives you a relatively complex flavor for a surprisingly small number of ingredients. The wine and the fat from the sausage get absorbed by the potatoes as they cook and make a delicious sauce.


Ingredients:
1-2 lbs of small red potatoes (I have used every kind with this dish and they all work. This would probably work with the equivalent of a large baking potato for each person)
3 links of Sweet and Spicy Italian sausage (I like to use about 1 and 1/2 a sausage for each person--I also used a habanero sausage that they sell in my area but I know this isn't for everyone)
1 Sweet Onion diced (I have used all types of onions for this as well)
1-2 red peppers diced (green, yellow, orange all work as well)
1/4 c. of red wine
crushed red pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of regano
1/2 tsp of basil

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large dutch oven. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut peppers and onion into 1 inch pieces.

2. Brown the sausages in the dutch oven until cooked and set aside.

3. Saute the onions and peppers in the leftover fat. After onions are translucent (about 1-2 mins) add the red wine and allow it to simmer for another 2 minutes.

Make sure you get all of the brown crusty bits from the saute off of the bottom of the pan and mix it with the wine to help form the sauce.

4. While the onions and peppers are simmering cut the potatoes and sausage into bite-sized pieces and add them to the mix.

5. Season the mixture with red pepper, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
6. Put the lid on the dutch oven and bake for 45 minutes.


Everything about this recipe is very forgiving, even the timing. Take the lid off and leave it in for a bit longer if you like and it will just enhance the roasted flavors.