Ale-Braised Sausage with Peppers

The season of autumn brings such wonderful flavors to the table. When I think about fall, pumpkin, apples, squash, and of course Oktoberfest come to mind. Oktoberfest would not be complete without a sausage and pepper meal. This recipe from Williams Sonoma captured the essence of Oktoberfest through the Oktoberfest ale I used, the cider, sausage, and the mashed potatoes. The flavors melded beautifully. Here is the recipe for the sausage and peppers and the mashed potatoes:

You can vary this recipe depending on the type of sausage and ale you choose. Mashed potatoes are the perfect foil for the hearty sauce and big flavors. Kielbasa is a garlicky, fully cooked Polish sausage that is available made with pork or beef, but a combination of the two is the tastiest.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 lb. cooked sausages, such as kielbasa, sliced

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1 cup ale

1/2 cup apple cider

3 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Mashed potatoes for serving (see related recipe at right)

Directions:

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sausages and cook, stirring and turning often, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and sauté until tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the ale and cider until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Add the thyme and broth, whisking to blend, and bring to a simmer.

Return the sausages to the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the sausages and sauce among warmed plates and serve immediately with mashed potatoes alongside. Serves 4 to 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking, by Melanie Barnard, Charles Pierce & Dennis Kelly (Oxmoor House, 2008).

Ingredients:

5 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch
pieces

2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small
pieces

1 1/4 cups half-and-half, heated

Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Directions:

Put the potatoes and the 2 tsp. salt in a large pot, add water to cover the potatoes by 3 inches and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Set a potato ricer over the pot and pass the potatoes through in batches. Alternatively, return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher. Add the butter and gradually add the half-and-half, beating constantly with a large spoon, until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Season with salt and white pepper and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Serve immediately. Serves 8 to 10.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.