Orecchiette with Braised Kale, Fire Roasted Tomatoes & Grilled Italian Sausage Recipe |
Orecchiette with Braised Kale, Fire Roasted Tomatoes & Grilled Sausage (photo courtesy of Muir Glen® Organic)
The change of seasons here in the Northeast couldn’t have been more evident than they were yesterday during a visit to the farmers market. A splendid variety of seasonal squash now far outnumbers fresh tomatoes, the fruit often taken for a vegetable. The squash are very welcome of course, but those luscious Summer tomatoes will be missed!
Our friends at Muir Glen offer a wonderful alternative for those like the James Beard Award-winning author Linda West Eckhardt, who says she loves using Muir Glen whole tomatoes for sauces. Linda’s tip: Cut up the tomatoes while they are still in the can, then pour all the contents together. Never discard that flavorful juice!
The recipe below is the creation of Chef Will Gilson of Boston’s Garden at the Cellar. The Chef is dedicated to presenting farm-to-table dining at his eatery, where much of the ingredients arrive fresh from his family’s farm in Groton, Massachusetts. He developed this recipe at the behest of the folks at Muir Glen, after visiting the Italian farm where their organic, limited-edition tomatoes are grown. He says that unlike most tomatoes grown for canning, the Meridian Ruby tomatoes at the farm are delicious when eaten right off the vine.
Chef Will Gilson's Orecchiette with Braised Kale, Fire Roasted Tomatoes & Grilled Italian Sausage
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 3 Italian sausages (about 3/4 lb)
• 1 Pound uncooked orecchiette (tiny disk) pasta
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Egg yolks
• Grated peel of 1 medium lemon (2 to 3 teaspoons)
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 Cup finely diced onion
• 2 Bunches kale, washed, rough chopped (about 6 cups)
• 2 Cans (14.5 oz. each) Muir Glen® Organic or Meridian Ruby™ Fire Roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Preparation
1. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cover and cook sausages over medium heat about 15 minutes or until no longer pink in center. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch slices.
2. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, reserving 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water. In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, vigorously stir eggs, egg yolks, lemon peel, salt and pepper with wire whisk; slowly beat reserved hot pasta water into egg mixture. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk, for about 10 minutes until sauce is creamy and thickened.
3. Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook garlic in oil 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic starts to become toasted. Add onion, kale and tomatoes; cover. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted and soft. Remove from heat. In extra-large serving bowl, stir sausage slices, cooked pasta, kale mixture, Parmesan cheese and sauce.
To learn more about premium tomatoes and tomato sauces for year round culinary creations, go to: Muir Glen®
To learn more about world class, handcrafted olive oil from California's Stella Cadente, go to: L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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