Broccoli Rabe and Italian Sausage

This is a true Italian masterpiece dish, and often, an acquired taste. Broccoli rabe is a slightly bitter (in a good way) version of broccoli, with very leafy, thin stems. It needs a dual cooking process to reach its best taste, but it's actually quite easy to prepare. Italian sausage is its perfect partner, but it's also delicious with pasta, as a side dish, or as a pizza topping.

1 pound of broccoli rabe, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
4 links of Italian sausage (hot or sweet; chicken, turkey or pork - it's up to you)
1/2 cup cannellini beans (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable broth

Take the broccoli rabe and plunge it into salted, boiling water for about 90 seconds. Drain the broccoli rabe and put in a bowl of ice water to stop it from cooking any further. Once it has cooled, drain it again and shake/squeeze as much water out of the veggies as possible.

Grill the sausage until cooked through and nicely crisped on the outside. Remove from heat and let them sit for 5 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat. While they are cooling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the garlic slices, cooking until translucent but not letting them brown.

Add the broccoli rabe, the beans, salt and pepper (black and red) and toss thoroughly -- saute until heated through.

Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces and toss into the broccoli and beans. If any of the food is sticking to the bottom of the pan, add enough broth to loosen it up and keep things moist. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, so the flavors meld, using more broth if necessary. It's nice to have a little pool of juice at the bottom of the bowl which can be absorbed by some nice crusty Italian bread.

This is often served as an appetizer, but it really can be an ample meal, especially if served along side some risotto, polenta, or even pasta.