Chicken Sausage on Polenta with Asparagus

A somewhat lighter take on popular sausage and polenta, for spring I’ve used chicken Italian sausage accompanied by sautéed mushrooms and asparagus, as well as a quick tomato sauce to keep everyone happy. A little lemon zest and Parmigiano Reggiano top it all off and make it beautiful. Contrary to popular belief, you needn’t stir polenta every minute until it’s done. I like to cook it ¾ of the way to tenderness, shut it off while I prepare the rest of the meal, and finish cooking it just before serving. You might want to cook the tomato sauce after the polenta, followed by the sausage. While the sausage cooks, there’s time to sauté both the mushrooms and the asparagus. If they must wait a bit after they’re done, warm them up in the microwave briefly before serving.

4 servings

Ingredients

4 cups cooked polenta made with half milk and half water. Follow package instructions and season generously with salt and pepper. (I like Bob's Red Mill polenta.)
Tomato sauce-see recipe in notes or use your own sauce or purchased jar
Olive oil
4 chicken Italian sausage links (3/4 - 1 pound) I like Trader Joe’s. Can sub turkey Italian sausage.
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sautéed lightly -- seasoned with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper
4- ounces button mushrooms, sliced thinly and sautéed with a sliced garlic clove -- seasoned with salt and pepper after they’re done
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and zest of one lemon—garnishes for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 150-200 F and place 4 shallow serving bowls on the racks to warm.
Cover the polenta to keep it warm or cover and turn off the heat. Just before serving, warm through – or finish cooking if need be – whisking in a little milk, water, or butter if needed to keep the polenta very creamy and loose.
Make the tomato sauce (see below in Cook’s Notes or use your own recipe/use a jar of purchased sauce) and leave covered on low until needed, stirring regularly.
Heat a medium heavy skillet over medium-high flame and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is hot, add the sausages. Brown the sausages on both sides, lower heat, and cook until done through with no pink remaining. An instant read thermometer should read at least 165 degrees F.
If you haven’t yet cooked the asparagus and mushrooms, drizzle a tablespoon of oil in two small skillets, heat through, and add the vegetables. Cook until tender and a little crispy, tossing and turning regularly. Season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm or stick in oven. (As noted above, you can reheat in the microwave if needed.)
To serve, spoon about a cup of the now hot polenta (it might need some more broth or water to loosen it up again--whisk, whisk!) into each of the warmed bowls and spread evenly into an oval. Top each serving of polenta with a sausage link. Add warm mushrooms and asparagus to the side of the sausage and spoon tomato sauce – about 1/2 cup– across the sausage and vegetables. Sprinkle with a ¼ teaspoon or so of lemon zest, a tablespoon or two of the Parmigiano Reggiano, and a few grinds of pepper. Serve hot or warm.
STORAGE: Store well-covered for 2-3 days in the fridge. The sausage and the tomato sauce would freeze fine, but I wouldn't freeze the vegetables or the polenta.

Notes

TOMATO SAUCE:
• 1 tablespoon EACH: olive oil and salted butter
• 2 tablespoons EACH: minced yellow onion, carrot, and celery
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon rosemary dry crumbled between your finger
• Garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound (about 5 medium) ripe tomatoes, cut into small dice (food processor works well to chop them.) You can easily sub a pound can of diced tomatoes here.
• Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper
• Pinch granulated sugar

In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, heat oil and butter over medium flame. Add onion, celery, carrot, and rosemary. Season with a pinch each salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes or until softened, adding garlic for the last minute. Stir in chopped tomatoes with their juices along with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and a pinch of granulated sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and keep warm until needed.