Summer is on its way out the door. And that means goodbye to all the colorful dishes and hello to pumpkin and sweet potato. But summer isn’t gone yet, so I’m holding on to it for as long as I possibly can.
That’s why I decided to go for sausage and peppers for dinner tonight. I mean, who can resist a plate full of colors? So I went on a hunt for the perfect palette of peppers.
A few weeks ago my husband and I moved to Brownsburg, Indiana. It’s a suburb of Indianapolis, but it’s got more of a town feel–which I love. We are super close to a number of farms and that means fresh produce all the time!
On my exploration of the city, I found a place called The Hayloft. It’s not a traditional farmer’s market. It’s a farm-to-table store with locally grown fruits, veggies and herbs. They also have fresh eggs, meats, cheeses, honey and infused olive oils. And it’s all local. I seriously felt like I hit the chef’s jackpot.
The Hayloft had some amazing Bell and Lipstick peppers to select from, all fresh and ripe for the picking. I even found a purple one. It was gorgeous! The color cooked away and it became more translucent in this dish. Next time I’ll reserve the purple pepper for a summer salad rather than cooking it. That way I can enjoy the color when it’s served.
All in all, this sausage and peppers recipe was very tasty. It was quick and light–perfect for an end of summer evening.
Here’s what you need:
Most people would add onion to the recipe. I abhor onions, but I won’t judge you if you add them in for your version.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4-5 colorful peppers (I chose a mix of Bell peppers and Lipsick peppers)
- 4 chicken sausage links
- 1/2 tsp ground fennel
- 1/2 tsp ground savory (if you don’t have ground savory you can easily substitute thyme)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Here’s what you do:
Start with a cast iron pan (if you can). I like my sausage and peppers to get a nice char on them, and I find that’s best with cast iron.
- Heat your olive oil and sauté your garlic
- Chop your peppers however you like. I chop my Lipstick peppers in rings and I chop my Bells long and skinny.
- Add your peppers into the pan along with your herbs and salt and pepper
- Stir the peppers until they are fully coated
- Let them cook for about 3-5 minutes or until they begin to soften. You will notice that purple peppers will lighten and orange peppers will take on a more yellowish tone.
- Add your chicken sausage and stir
- Cover your pan and let the sausage and peppers cook until the chicken sausage is cooked through and all the flavors are married together
- Serve over brown rice and enjoy your colorfully warm, summer goodness.
-RC 😘
Living with RC 