After reading this article we got to thinking about our favorite foods. There are almost too many to name. But if we had to chose: Starch = handmade pasta Veg = roasted parsnips or squash Fruit = sweet heirloom tomatoes (unless red wine counts as a fruit) Meat = Isernio’s hot Italian chicken sausage Liquor = red wine Guilty Pleasure = tiramisu.
What are yours?
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Today’s 12 Days of Sausage recipe comes from Andrew Lanier, former Chef de Cuisine of Crush and host of “Inside the Kitchen Door” on the Small Screen Network.
Enjoy!
Heat a large pot on high heat. Add the olive oil, and when hot, brown the sausage in the oil. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the spices, stir with the sausage for one minute, or until aromatic. Add the salt, garlic, leeks, onion, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables are softened. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the kale, potatoes, rosemary, and parsely. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked all the way through. Add the clams, stir, and cover the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes more, until the clams open up. Ladle the soup into large soup bowls, and serve with crusty bread for dipping.
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Each week, our founder and casing captain, Frank Isernio will answer one of your questions. Whether it’s regarding sausage, Isernio’s history, quality control or how to make a killer lasagne, Frank is here to help extinguish the flames of your burning curiosity.
This week’s question hails from Mukilteo, WA.
Q: Which of your products do you usually always have in your fridge at home?
A: Always the Hot Italian sausage. It’s my favorite. Also, the pork and chicken Italian sausages and chorizo, which I’d have to say is my second favorite. I’ll use the chorizo to make paella and it’s just delicious! I don’t set out to eat sausage daily, but if it’s already cooked, I can’t pass it up. And I never get tired of it – never ever get tired of it. It’s the original convenience food. You can prepare it in minutes and you can use so little to create such a big flavor. Especially in these economic times, when we’re getting back to budgeting and portioning out meals. You can buy Isernio’s, combine it with a few other ingredients and save money and be proud of what you give your family.
I came across this article today that talks about the hip factor of foods. You know, like the hot dog/bratwurst/sausage you buy that is overshadowed by its toppings (it’s never a good sign when the onions on your pup are prepped with more care than the actual link).
Isernio’s sausage links are all-natural. In a future post, I’m going to take you through the plant just so you can see how clean and simple the whole process is; the sausages are literally made with chicken thighs or pork and some seasoning. Minimal processing. The quality meats that are used, and the lack of preservatives, make the sausages moist and flavorful. No need for extravagant toppings. With that said, do most vendors and chefs go overboard with their toppings (cream cheese, wasabi, fried eggs) to mask the flavor of their basic ingredients? Or are they just trying to be en vogue?
What are your thoughts?
It’s that time of year when most of us are still trying to recover from Thanksgiving before the next round of holiday menu planning begins; when we crave comfort food and leftovers and ingredients that stick to our ribs. It’s also that time of year when a lot of us get sick after running our immune systems into the ground during the frenzy that we lovingly refer to as ‘celebration.’
This is why soup is such a fantastic food to turn to. It not only comforts our soul with nourishment, it soothes our physical ailments. It’s also what this food critic turns to when he’s sick.
With that said, we present you with two Italian sausage soup recipes that are easy to make, tasty and will certainly cure what ails you: Italian Sausage Soup made with a hearty beef stock and Italian Sausage Soup With Tortellini
I don’t know if you know this or not, but Isernio’s sausage is said to contain healing powers. True story.
What foods do you turn to when you’re feeling under the weather?
Think of it as our gift to you: 12 unique recipes created by Seattle chefs using Isernio’s products.
Today’s recipe comes from Top Chef contestant and former chef/owner of Crave, Robin Leventhal. It’s a fancy twist on “Pigs in a Blanket.”
Enjoy!
NOTE: These can be pre-sliced and kept frozen as a ready-to-bake quick appetizer or try it as a “crouton” for a bowl of soup!
Check out more photos on our Facebook page.
Each week, our founder and casing captain, Frank Isernio will answer one of your questions. Whether it’s regarding sausage, Isernio’s history, quality control or how to make a killer lasagne, Frank is here to help extinguish the flames of your burning curiosity.
This week’s question hails from Seattle, WA.
Q: What was the first product you sold?
A: My family and I, we prefer the hot ones, so I made Hot Italian Sausage when I started. Obviously, you want to give people a choice, so I also made a mild version. We made two products, and that was it. I like them all, but I gravitate to the Italian and the Hot Italian, especially. When I started the business, I had two restaurant clients. Isernio’s wasn’t available retail. A couple of years later, when it finally hit store shelves, I heard from people that they wanted a breakfast sausage. And so, I made a breakfast sausage followed by a chicken and apple sausage. Then, in 1990, I introduced a poultry sausage. No secret, no magic, you just use good ingredients. Just take a nice, moist, dark meat chicken thigh and process it. Next came the Chicken Italian Sausage. As we produced pork varieties of sausage, like the chorizo, people would ask for more varieties. I always say, ‘Listen to people. If you really care what they think, ask them and they’ll tell you.’
Got a question for Frank? Leave it in the comments section below, on Facebook or Twitter.
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