Summer Sausage, Sage, and Eggplant Stew
Plump purple eggplants at the farmer’s market were the inspiration for this summer stew. It is wonderful served on top of pasta, couscous, or rice, or you can even just have some crusty bread on the side. Scramble recipe tester Kathryn Howell Dalton said, “My husband, who does not care for eggplant, just cleaned his plate.”
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 10 fresh sage leaves thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 lb. chicken sausage or use meatless sausage, sliced, or use 15 oz. canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small eggplant diced (about 1 lb.)
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1 tomato diced (about 1 lb.)
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat.
- Add the sage and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the garlic is just starting to turn golden, about 2 minutes, and then add the sausage or the beans.
- Cook, while you dice and add the rest of the ingredients, stirring with each addition.
- Once all the ingredients are in the pot, cover it for 5 minutes, reducing the heat to keep it at a low boil and stirring it once, so the ingredients don’t scorch at the bottom of the pan.
- Uncover it and continue to simmer the stew for about 10 more minutes (and up to 20), stirring occasionally.
- Serve it immediately, refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook for 6 – 8 hours on low or 3 – 4 hours on high. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Slice the sage, peel the garlic, slice and refrigerate the sausage if using, dice the eggplant, onion, bell pepper, and tomato, or fully prepare and refrigerate or freeze the stew.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add some fresh or dried oregano to the stew, top it with feta cheese.
Tip: Did you know that you can freeze whole tomatoes? If you’ve got an overabundance in your garden, or have overbought at the market, just wash and dry the tomatoes and then freeze them whole on a baking sheet. Once they’re completely frozen, you can transfer them to freezer bags. They should be used within 4 – 6 months and are ideal for pasta sauces and stews.
Video: Watch Jessica make this on Facebook Live.
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Nutrition
Calories: 205kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 13gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 857mgPotassium: 267mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 767IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
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