Remove the casings from four Italian sausages by slicing
them down one side and peeling them away from the meat. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a large pot
then sauté the ground sausage and a chopped shallot until the meat is nearly
cooked through. If you want to spice it up, this would be the time to add some
red pepper flakes…or extra garlic as well.
To finish, simply pour in a jar of your favorite marinara,
simmer for 10 minutes, then toss with a pound of cooked pasta and some
parmesan.
For a raw Brussel sprout salad I figure about six sprouts
per person. Start by removing the discolored outer leaves then slicing as
thinly as possible and set aside in a salad bowl. Sometimes it easier to cut
the Brussel sprout in half first then slice with the flat cut half against the
cutting board.
Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a small bowl, add
a handful of dried cranberries and soak for at least five minutes. Next, prep
the parmesan using a cheese planer or the coarsest side of a box grater…shave
about a half a cup and set aside.
When you’re ready to go, drizzle some extra virgin olive
oil onto the sprouts along with the cranberries and lemon juice. Toss well, add
the shaved parmesan then salt and pepper to taste. Depending on how wet you like
your salads, you may want to add some more lemon juice or olive oil.
