Smoked Polish Sausage and Sweet Potato Egg Noodles — Halushki Style with Grilled Plum, Blue Cheese, and Arugula Salad
4 slices bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, sliced ¼-inch thick
¾ cup chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons apple juice, separated
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, separated
1 pound smoked Polish sausage, cut into diagonal slices
4 large cloves garlic, pressed
1 small to medium head of cabbage, thinly sliced or a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix (see note)
1 cup frozen peas
½ pound sweet potato egg noodles, cooked and drained (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
¼ cup Holland House Red Wine Vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
6 large firm black or red plums, sliced
4 ounces mild crumbled blue cheese
⅓ cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
8-10 cups arugula, washed and dried
In large pot fry bacon until cooked, but not crunchy. Add butter and onions, cooking until lightly caramelized. Add stock, 2 tablespoons apple juice and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Carefully scrape up all the little bits in the bottom of the pan from the bacon and onions.In a separate skillet heat 2 tablespoons apple juice and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Add sliced Polish sausage, stirring often until liquid is reduced and sausage browns nicely. Add sausage along with any pan juices, garlic and cabbage to the onion mixture; cook covered until cabbage is softened; stirring often and adding extra stock if needed. Add peas. Remove cover and continue cooking until any remaining liquid evaporates. Add cooked sweet potato noodles. Add parsley, adjust seasoning and serve immediately.For the salad: Make the dressing. In small bowl combine vinegar, shallots, honey and olive oil; mix well, adjust seasoning, and set aside.Heat grill, or grill pan, to High. Coat sliced plums in a little dressing and place cut side down on grill and cook about 3 minutes, or until warmed through and evenly marked.Toss arugula in dressing and place a handful on each of six plates. Top with plum slices and sprinkle with blue cheese and pecans. Serve along side sausage and noodles.Serves six.Cook#146;s note: My family prefers sauerkraut instead of cabbage, so I often add a 1 pound package of rinsed sauerkraut instead of plain cabbage.
Sweet Potato Egg Noodles
<div class="recipeIngredients">⅓ cup egg yolks</div>
1 large sweet potato, baked, peeled, and pureed
1 teaspoon paprika
3-3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
<div class="recipeDirections">Combine egg yolks and sweet potato in with mixer until thoroughly combined. In separate bowl combine paprika, 3 cups of flour, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to egg and sweet potato, adding as much of the additional flour, up to ½ cup, as necessary to make a still dough. Remove from mixer and knead on floured surface about 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest 30 minutes.</div>
Divide dough into 8-10 pieces. On a well floured surface, roll each piece out until very thin. (I used a pasta machine and rolled to the fourth setting.) Using a pizza cutter, or sharp knife, cut dough into approximately ¾ inch strips. Sprinkle with flour to ensure the noodles dont stick together and allow to dry on a flat surface. Remove excess flour before cooking in boiling water until tender; time will depend on the thickness of noodles, drain immediately.
Makes about 1½ pound of noodles.
Penny Kazmier