Ale-Braised Sausage and Peppers

The minute I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it! I've been craving sausages ever since we returned from our honeymoon in Munich. We went to a football housewarming party this weekend, so it was the perfect place to test it out.

From Good Things Catered

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lb. cooked sausages, such as kielbasa, sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
• 12 oz. bottle of ale (I also used Sam Adams' Oktoberfest)
• 1 1/2 c. low sodium chicken stock
• 3 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

• In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. I don't have a dutch oven yet =(, so I used a big pot.
• Add the sausages and cook, stirring and turning often, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

• Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and sauté until tender and golden, about 5 minutes.

• Add 2 Tbsp flour and cook, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

• Whisk in the ale until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.

• Add the thyme and broth, whisking to blend, and bring to a simmer.
• Return the sausages to the pot.
• Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes.
• Uncover and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the sausage, peppers, and onions and place on a serving platter.
• With the Dutch oven over medium high heat, whisk in 1 heaping Tbsp of flour, whisking constantly until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

• Pour thickened sauce over sausages and serve immediately with mashed potatoes (I didn't, since we ate these as hot hors d'oeuvres).

Verdict:
These were the first hors d'oeuvres to go at the party! It was definitely a hit. Next time I make these, I probably won't thicken the broth and pour it top -- it was a little too heavy on the gravy. I'll also drain out some (not all though!) of the fat from the sausage before sautéeing the peppers and onions. But this was a crowd-pleaser!