Cannellini Beans and Sausages

Source: William Sonoma Catalogue April 2011

Ingredients

• 6 oz baby spinach
• 2 lbs. kielbasa sausages
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 2 red peppers, seeded & diced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh Thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 sprig fresh sage
• 1½ lbs. cannellini beans, rinsed, soaked overnight, drained
• 1 can 14½ oz diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt 1 tbsp oil in big oven-proof pot and brown sausages 8-10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Cut 2 links into large dice; leave other links whole. (My kielbasa came in 1 lb links each)

Warm 1 tbsp oil in same pot and cook onion, celery and bell peppers 5 - 7 minutes. Add tomato paste garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute.

Stir in stock, water, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary sage, beans and diced sausages; place sausage links on top. Put cover on pot and put it in a preheated 350 degree oven until beans are tender, about 3 hours. Add tomatoes during LAST 30 MINUTES.

Meanwhile, in small bowl; combine bread crumbs, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp butter, salt and black pepper. Transfer to saute pan; toast over medium heat until crispy, 8-10 minutes. Let cool; stir in parsley.

Transfer sausage links to cutting board; tent with foil. Skim fat off cooking liquid; season beans with salt and black pepper. Fold in spinach until just wilted. Slice sausages on bias. Ladle beans and broth into warmed bowls; top with slice sausages. Serve with toasted bread crumbs.

Nice with crostini.

Serves 6-8.

Notes

Couldn’t add the spinach in the proper spot in ingredient list. It goes almost last.

I put crumbs butter etc. directly into saute pan, skipping small bowl part.

I tied herbs together with string. Removed before serving.