Broccoli Rabe with Sausage

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Don’t be daunted by the vegetable’s wild and unruly appearance; broccoli rabe is easy to cook. It’s great simply blanched and sautéed in olive oil, roasted until crisp or even pureed into a piquant pesto. Here, is a  fantastic recipe for broccoli rabe with sausage. Not only is is a great main dish that is quick and easy to make, but it also makes for a delicious filling for an Italian style sandwich.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli rabe
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided.
4 ounces hot Italian sausage—casings removed, meat crumbled
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt, to taste
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese

Directions:
In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the broccoli rabe until nearly tender, 4 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water. Squeeze and pat dry, then chop.

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the sausage and cook over moderately high heat, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned. Add 3 more tablespoons of oil, the garlic and red pepper to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli rabe and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 minutes. Season with salt. Add the lemon juice and toss. Serve with Pecorino.

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

Zuppa Toscana

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I love the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana.

I loved it so much I decided only recently to make it home. This creamy concoction has Italian sausage, hearty potatoes and just a hint of heat with the crushed red pepper flakes. The ingredients are a perfect combination if there ever was one, not to mention the velvety-rich broth that warms us from the inside out. The ingredients list is budget-friendly and, while it tastes indulgent, there is also a hefty amount of leafy greens, making this soup one of the healthiest dishes out there.

 

 

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into wedges then halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large white onion, finely chopped
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups kale or Swiss chard or baby spinach, rinsed, tough stems removed, roughly chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove an drain on paper towels and set aside.

Leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the sausage in the bottom of the Dutch oven, stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven over the onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the kale into the soup just before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

Mezzaluna Pasta with Spring Vegetables

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This is a fresh and elegant spring dish that you can whip up in no time with the availability of fresh made pasta that can be found in most supermarkets these days.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:
One bunch green asparagus
8 ounce  package fresh peas
Two 8-ounce packages of fresh mezzaluna pasta
1 Lemon
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped white onions
1 Tablespoon  minced garlic
3 Tablespoons butter
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the woody ends from the asparagus and discard. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Cook the asparagus and peas for 3 minutes. Add the mezzaluna and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and vegetables and set aside.

While pasta and vegetables cook, zest the lemon. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and garlic until soft, 2 minutes. Add the butter, pasta, peas, asparagus and lemon zest and  gently stir until butter is melted and pasta and vegetables are coated with sauce, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

 

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor