Possible Cooking Methods: Stovetop Pressure Cooker Slow Cooker
This is a dish that can be filled with any mixture of vegetables, really. I love kale and all its health benefits, but you could easily substitute any other dark leafy green. The butternut squash gives this a nice burst of color, but you could use potato or turnip instead if you prefer. Rustic torn fried bread croutons go on top, and while in some variations of this recipe making them will require using a second pan, I think they are well worth it.
olive oil
4 cups rustic Italian bread, crusts removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds Tuscan pork sausage, casings removed and broken into chunks
1 onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups diced butternut squash, 1-inch dice
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 ounces (½ bunch) Lacinato kale, stems removed and rough chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock*
Parmesan cheese
*Quantity changes for alternate methods
Stovetop Directions
Serves:4
Cooking Time:65 minutes
1. Pre-heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add a good coating of oil to the bottom of the pot and add the bread pieces. Season with salt and fry the bread in batches until browned and crispy. Set the browned bread pieces aside.
3. Add a little more oil to the pot and sauté the pork sausage for 5 or 6 minutes, until it has rendered out much of its fat and is nicely browned. Remove the browned sausage and set it aside.
4. Add the onion and crushed red pepper flakes to the pot and sauté until the onion starts to soften – about 5 minutes. Add the butternut squash, thyme and oregano, season with salt and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes. Stir in the kale and tomatoes and the pour in the wine. Bring the wine to a simmer for a minute or two and then add the chicken stock. Return the browned sausage to the pot, cover with the lid askew and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 45 minutes.
5. Remove the lid and season to taste. Serve in deep bowls with several toasted pieces of bread and shavings of Parmesan cheese on top.
Additional Cooking Directions for
Pressure Cooker Directions
Serves:4
Cooking Time:10 minutes
Change Ingredients: Reduce stock to 3 cups. While you can toast the bread pieces in a multi-cooker that has a brown setting, it could be time consuming. Toasting the bread on the stovetop, in the oven or in an air fryer is a great option.
1. Pre-heat a 6-quart multi-function pressure cooker using the BROWN or SAUTE setting.
2. Add the pork sausage and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, until it has rendered out much of its fat and is nicely browned. Remove the browned sausage and set aside. Add the white wine to the cooker and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. (If your cooker doesn’t have a brown setting, use a skillet on the stovetop for the steps above and transfer the contents to the cooker now.)
3. Add the onion, crushed red pepper flakes, butternut squash, thyme and oregano and stir well. Stir in the kale and tomatoes, season with salt and the pour in the chicken stock. Cover and lock the lid in place.
4. Pressure cook on HIGH for 10 minutes.
5. Release the pressure with the QUICK-RELEASE method and carefully remove the lid. Season to taste. Serve in deep bowls with several toasted pieces of bread and shavings of Parmesan cheese on top.
Slow Cooker Directions
Serves:4
Cooking Time:2 to 3 hours on LOW
Change Ingredients: Reduce stock to 3 cups. While you can toast the bread pieces in a multi-cooker that has a brown setting, it could be time consuming. Toasting the bread in the oven or in an air fryer is a great option.
1. Pre-heat a 5- to 6-quart multi-function slow cooker using the BROWN or SAUTE setting.
2. Add the pork sausage and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, until it has rendered out much of its fat and is nicely browned. Remove the browned sausage and set aside. Add the white wine to the cooker and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. (If your cooker doesn’t have a brown setting, use a skillet on the stovetop for the steps above and transfer the contents to the cooker now.)
3. Add the onion, crushed red pepper flakes, butternut squash, thyme and oregano and stir well. Stir in the kale and tomatoes and the pour in the chicken stock. Cover and slow cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours (1½ hours on HIGH).
4. Season to taste. Serve in deep bowls with several toasted pieces of bread and shavings of Parmesan cheese on top.