Sausage with Kale, Canneloni & Polenta

Easy Baked Polenta

1 polenta roll

Preheat oven to 375. Slice polenta about 1/4" thick. Oil sturdy baking pan with half of the oil (I used spray coconut oil). Place slices on pan and bake 20 minutes, turning halfway through. You could also fry in a pan about 5 min. each side. 

Italian Sweet Sausage with Braised Kale and Canneloni

2 sweet Italian sausages

1/4 onion

1 bunch kale 

5 cherry tomatoes

1 can Canneloni beans (regular size can)

1 c. bone broth

2 T coconut oil

1 T vinegar

Juice 1 lemon

Salt 

Pepper

1/4 t. allspice 

While polenta is baking, In hot cast iron skillet, put half oil and sauté sausage on both sides until well-browned. About 10 minutes. 

While sausage is browning, drain and rinse can of beans. Pierce tomatoes. In smaller pan, heat beans and tomatoes in broth until simmering. Slice sausage in half (filet) and sauté cut side down until brown. 

Slice and add onion at this time in the skillet. 

Strip kale leaves off their stalk ribs and slice into thin strips, about 1/4" wide. Discard kale ribs.  Set sausage aside when cooked through.  Add kale to skillet and add vinegar and seasoning. Cover and let steam 1 min. This helps to reduce leaves volume. Pour entire bean pot  contents on top of kale, let steam about 5 to  7 minutes or until just wilted and softened through. Add lemon juice, stir. Plate kale bean mixture over sliced polenta and top with sausage.

Serves 2. 

Notes:

The kale was a bit mature for our tastes. While the recipe was very nice overall, and easy to do, next time we would try a less texturally formidable vegetable, such as broccoli rabe, baby kale, collard greens, or spinach. 

The recipe that inspired this one-pot dish called for sausage, kale, balsamic vinegar and halved seedless red table grapes. Since grapes were too high priced, I opted to try the beans and tomatoes instead, and added a touch of allspice and lemon juice to help mellow the kale in texture and flavor.