Savory Sausage and White Bean Stew from The Family Dinner

The Family Dinner is a wonderful cookbook and this is a wonderfully easy yet flavorful dish.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 4-medium size organic Italian-style sausages, turkey, chicken or pork. (I suggest Adele Italian Sausage)
• 1 cup bread crumbs (they suggest panko because they are crunchier; or if you make your won bread crumb out of day-old bread, that would be great too.I used gluten free bread crumbs.)
• 3 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped & divided
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig rosemary, chopped
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes, drained (I used one can of petite diced tomatoes)
• 3 15-ounce cans white beans, rinsed and drained (cannellini or great northern), or 5 cups home-cooked beans
• 2 cups chicken stock (I make sure mine is gluten free)
• salt and pepper to taste
• juice of 1 lemon
• handful of chopped parsley

Drizzle a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and over medium heat, saute the sausages so they are golden brown and crisp on each side, about 10 minutes. Then slice them on the bias, or into small bite size pieces...put them aside.

In the same pan, saute the bread crumbs, sage, 1 clove chopped garlic and Parmesan until they are crunchy and golden brown. You might need to add a little olive oil. Put the bread crumbs aside too.

Wipe out the pan, add 2 more tablespoons olive oil, and saute the onion until it is caramel colored and has little crispy edges. Add the remaining garlic, bay leaf and rosemary, stir for a moment, then add the wine and tomatoes, letting it all simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the beans and chicken stock, then nestle the sausage into the pan among the beans. Let it all gently simmer until the sauce has evaporated a bit and the beans are lovely and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

Top with the bread crumbs, lemon juice and a shower of parsley.

Serve with a simple mixed green salad and whole grain mustard.