Most of the time I have kielbasa sausage in my freezer. It’s in reserve for an emergency easy-to-prepare meal. Generally, I braise it with cabbage, potatoes, onions and broth; a splash of hot sauce, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice, and dinner is ready.
Chef Michael Symon, restaurateur, television personality, and author of “5 in 5 for Every Season” (Clarkson Potter), teams the tasty sausage with Granny Smith apples, onions and ground coriander seeds; beer adds the needed liquid to the mix. Symon likes to accompany the dish with homemade spaetzle. I settle for rice or orzo.
Kielbasa with Apples and Onions
Yield: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound kielbasa, cored, sliced on the bias into 1-inch-thick pieces
2 small yellow onions or 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
Salt
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, quartered, cored, and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup beer, preferably an IPA-style beer
DIRECTIONS
1. Put a large skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil followed by the kielbasa and cook until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Flip the meat and scoot the pieces to one side of the pan. To the open space, add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften and caramelize, about 1 minute.
2. Add the apples, coriander, and butter and cook until everything softens and begins to brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Add the beer and cook until the sauce reduces and thickens to a glaze-like consistency, about 1 minute.
3. Remove from the heat, stir well to combine, and serve.
Source: “Michael Symon’s 5 in 5 For Every Season” by Michael Symon (Clarkson Potter, $19.99)