Potato Sausage Ragu

Covid has me food shopping as little as possible even though my storage both cold and shelf is very limited. It has currently been 12 days since my last shop and protein is getting thin. I do however have a few hot Italian sausages in the freezer for just such a situation.

Luckily, I did remember to remove a link from it’s frozen home in the morning. Into a sandwich sized zip top bag and then in a small stainless steel bowl to sit on the counter and thaw. I know that this is not a recommended thawing technique but I am careful in my temps. At least every hour it was tested as to level of freeze and when just the center seemed a bit frosty, I put it back in the fridge to stay cool until dinner time.

My room mate’s beau came in with to-go boxes in the late afternoon but alas none of the boxes was for me. The smell however reminded me that my stomach was approaching empty and something had to be done. Even though Star Trek Discovery was on, I had to get something going so pulling my favorite Lagostino 9 inch skillet from the rack and onto the stove, I then reached into the cold box for the meat portion of tonight’s repast.

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Expertly knifing the casing off of the tubed meat, I ignored the possible injury to my fleshy palm. Slapping the ground meat into the now hot pan, I smushed it flat to gain contact. Back into the TV room to see what trouble Michael Burnham has gotten herself into this episode and back again to the stove to find one side close to, but not quite burnt. Flipping the meat, I got a small Idaho potato out of the bag and after a thorough wash, swiftly produced small cubes that would quickly fry.

Back to the TV to hear what Burnam and Spock had to argue about concerning the Red Angel then during commercial chopped the link into smaller bits and into a waiting bowl. Having a habit of saving pork fat, I used a decent amount to fry the previously diced potatoes with red chile flake, salt and fresh ground pepper. Back to the tube to find out that Section 31 idiot Leland had been responsible for the death of Burnam’s parents by Klingons.

After a few back and forths, the potatoes were done and they were joined by the sausage and some caramelized onions. I wanted a fairly saucy dish so back to the fridge for some home made spicy tomato salsa and chicken stock. Perhaps that makes this a quick Ragu? Into the pan and covered before finding out that the Red Angel’s DNA was a match for who else, Michael Burnham.

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During another commercial, I decided that the meat and potatoes needed some kind of veg and finding a nice vinegar, sesame oil coleslaw available, I put a good portion into a glass bowl and added a hearty portion of the main. There was enough hot liquid available to lightly poach the veg while retaining a crunchy texture. The raisins in the slaw made a nice counterpoint to the heat of the red chile flakes and salsa.

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I managed to get back to the telly in time to see the capture of the Red Angel by luring her with Brunham’s unseemly demise while strapped to a chair and exposed to toxic atmosphere. It was not in fact Michael Burnham in the winged suit from the future, it was…

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Potato Sausage Ragu with Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 Cured pork sausage. Italian or Bratwurst will do
• 1 small Idaho Potato finely cubed
• Cooking oil or reserved animal fat
• ¼ cup Spicy Tomato Salsa or cubed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup Chicken Stock or water
• 1 tablespoon Caramelized Onions or 2 tblsp Diced raw Onion
• ½ cup Prepared Vinegar Slaw or Slice Green Cabbage
• Salt, Pepper, and Red Chile Flakes to taste

Method:

• Remove skin from sausage and press into hot skillet
• Brown both sides and remove from pan
• Add oil, when hot add chile flakes
• Add Potatoes, season with Salt and Pepper, and brown well
• If using raw Onion, add to potatoes when almost done
• Add Stock, Salsa or Tomatoes and Caramelized Onion
• Add Chopped Sausage and simmer for a few minutes
• Serve over Vinegar Cole Slaw or cut Cabbage
• Serves One