I’ve been refining this recipe for months. Finally, I think I got it right. It came out pretty much perfect today. It’s an easy meal to prepare since the sausage is precooked and you can nuke the potatoes (halfway, not until they are really soft). So far, unless you’re a vegetarian, everyone likes it.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 pound of sliced red or golden potatoes
1-1/2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced

NOTE: Any smoked sausage — Linguica, Kielbasa, Andouille, etc. — is fine. Today I used 1 lb of Andouille and half a pound of beef smoked sausage. I never seem to find smoked sausage in the right amount. It’s always either too much or too little so I wind up using two different kinds.

1 small onion, sliced or half a big onion
1 shallot, sliced
1 stalk celery, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons smoked paprika (regular paprika is okay too)
1/3 cup parsley
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (garlic powder or fresh is fine too)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground hot pepper (optional)
1 cup chicken or beef broth/stock
1 cup dry white or red wine

COOKING

Pre-cook the potatoes about halfway. We are temporarily without a microwave, so I had to actually boil the potatoes. Usually, I nuke them.

In a chili-size pot (3 or 4 quarts), heat up olive oil and butter. Add more butter or oil or both. Your goal is to keep everything from sticking and how much oil or butter you need only you can judge.

Add the onions and caramelize them — about 5 minutes. Halfway through, add the shallots and celery. Add the garlic, pepper, hot pepper (optional), and a teaspoon of salt (taste first because; sometimes the sausage is salty).

Add the sliced sausage and cook until a little bit browned. No need to torch it. Add the potatoes, broth, wine, paprika and parsley. Turn heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. When the potatoes are fork-soft, take the cover off and cook another five minutes to thicken up the sauce — if it needs it. Also, if at ANY point it seems to need liquid, please add it! More broth, more wine, or just water. Use your kitchen sense. A recipe is just a guide, not the bible.

I should have taken a picture. I never remember, possibly because my hands are busy and as soon as the food is done, everyone is lined up, forks in hand. I should also mention that everyone except me had seconds. No leftovers.

NOTE: About the wine. Garry is non-drinker as am I. Wine simmered in food tastes like wine, but the buzz is gone. Safe for everyone, including kids.

Serve and enjoy! It’s a solid meal for four adults. You can add more of everything if you have more (or hungrier) people.

Categories: #Food, #Recipes, Anecdote

Tags: food, Marilyn Armstrong, recipe, Smoked sausage goulash