Escarole Sausage And Mushroom Dressing Recipes

ESCAROLE AND MUSHROOM DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Toss mushrooms with garlic and 3 tablespoons oil in a 3- to 4-quart shallow glass or ceramic baking dish and roast in middle of oven, stirring twice, until mushrooms are just tender, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• While mushrooms are roasting, cook escarole in a large pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Squeeze gently to remove excess water.
• Cook onions in remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Whisk together eggs, cream, stock, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large bowl, then add mushrooms, escarole, onions, and bread and toss well. Spread in buttered cleaned baking dish and bake, covered with foil, in upper third of oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until edges of bread are crisp, about 10 minutes more.

MUSHROOM AND SAUSAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Coat a large wide pot with olive oil and toss in the celery and onions. Season with salt and cook the veggies over medium-high heat until soft and very aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into really small pieces with a metal spoon or spatula, until it's really brown and yummy, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Add the white wine and cook until it has evaporated by half. (The mix will be pretty soupy, and that's okay.)
• Combine the bread with the sausage mixture in a large bowl. Toss in the walnuts and sage and pour about half the chicken stock into the bowl. Using your hands, work to combine everything well -- really get in there and squish it up; it's fun! Add the remaining stock as needed to create a really moist mix. Taste and season with salt, if needed.
• Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake until the stuffing is hot all the way through, about 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake to brown the top, another 15 minutes.

CREAMY SAUSAGE AND ESCAROLE BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and 1 cup water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly, add the oregano and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the oregano and stir in the ricotta. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Add the escarole and a pinch of salt to the sausage drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat slightly if necessary, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Transfer the escarole to the bowl with the sausage.
• Cook the farfalle in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the mixing bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta stand about 10 minutes before serving.

ESCAROLE, BEANS, SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS CHEAT SHEET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven or grill to 425 degrees F.
• Put the oil in a sheet tray, then tear off big clumps of the sausage and arrange in the oil in a single layer. Arrange the garlic, onion and red peppers around the sausage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until the sausage is browned on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the beans, chicken stock, smoked paprika, escarole, juice from 1/2 lemon and salt. Gently toss together and place back in the oven for another 5 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Remove from the oven and stir again. The escarole should be half the size now and easier to mix in with the rest of the ingredients. Serve over the ditalini or rice. Garnish with some juice from the remaining lemon half and grated Parmesan. This would also be wonderful in a fresh hoagie roll.

WARM ESCAROLE SALAD WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to paper towels; reserve mushrooms.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and sauté until crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain; reserve pancetta.
• Carefully whisk vinegar into drippings in same skillet. Bring to simmer over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, mustard and 3 tablespoons oil, then brandy. Bring to simmer. Place escarole in large bowl; pour warm vinaigrette over. Toss to coat. Mix in reserved mushrooms and pancetta. Season with salt and pepper.
• *Pancetta, Italian bacon cured in salt, is available at Italian markets and some specialty foods stores.