Italian Sausage Stew ~ adapted from Cooking Light

12 oz Italian sausage, sweet or mild
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 one medium white onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ~15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 ~15 oz can stewed tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1/4 t dried parsley
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat large saucepan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat pan. Add green peppers and onion, saute 5 minutes. Cover saucepan, reduce heat and cook until soft. Add minced garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant.

Remove sausage casing and add to saucepan. Crumble and cook until no longer pink. Add beans, tomatoes and spices and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crostini. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: Technically, this isn't a proper "stew" because there's no long cooking or stewing time. But the addition of stewed tomatoes gives the taste of a long cooked dish which gives the recipe a nod to being a stew.

Salsa Verde Chicken Stew

Tomatillo Salsa Verde
1 lb tomatillos; paper leaves removed, rinsed and cut in half
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t salt
2 T lime juice
Pinch of sugar

Place tomatillos cut-side down on aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Broil under high heat 5-7 minutes until blackened in spots. Let cool to touch. Place tomatillos along with any juices rendered, jalapeño, garlic, salt, lime juice and sugar in blender and pulse until well blended. If prepared ahead, refrigerate until needed.

Chef's Note: Don't be worried when your tomatillos look like this picture. That's what makes them release their juices and come out so yummy.



Salsa Verde Chicken Stew
1 1/2-2 lbs boneless-skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t ground cumin
1 t sage
1 1/2 c chicken stock
2 c tomatillo salsa verde
1 t oregano
1/2 c cilantro stems and leaves, chopped

In large, heavy-bottomed stock pot heat 2 T olive oil over medium high heat. Dry cubed chicken with paper towels and sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium-high heat until all sides are golden. Remove the chicken pieces from pan and lower heat to medium. Add additional oil, if needed, and ground cumin and coriander. Cook until spices are fragrant, approximately 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.

Return chicken to pot and add tomatillo sauce, chicken stock, and oregano. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over white rice and garnish with cilantro and sour cream if desired. Serves 4.