More Broccoli Rabe - can there ever be enough?

Some of the best dishes are made from staples sitting in your refrigerator or pantry. Trying to make something interesting and tasty for lunch I decided to make sausage, broccoli rabe, white beans, and tomatoes. And if you read this site with any regularity you may have picked up on the fact that I love broccoli rabe. Anyway, I digress...

Preparation was fairly simple.

Remove casing from hot Italian sausage (or whatever type of sausage you prefer) and saute, breaking up into small pieces. Remove sausage from pan and saute a few cloves of garlic in the oil left over from the sausage - I used 3 (hey, what do you expect from an Italian?). Add broccoli rabe and cover until broccoli wilts. Add partially rinsed white beans, diced & fresh tomatoes and a tablespoon of tomato paste. Let that simmer for a few minutes, then reintroduce the sausage to the pan. You can add some chicken broth here if desired and of course, season with the holy trinity of salt, pepper and garlic powder. You can also add some crushed red pepper if you want a bit more kick to it but since I used hot Italian sausage it didn't need the extra spice.

My method was slightly inspired from my previous pork chops with zucchini recipe post and the result was just as delicious. I was careful not to overcook the sausage since it was going to go back in the pan and the residual oil from the sausage added another level of flavor to the dish.

Enjoy!

Pork Chops, Zucchini & Tomatoes - oh my!

Inspiration can come from the oddest places. RRR told me about a recipe she saw as part of an ad for wine - pork chops with zucchini & tomatoes. Simple, low-cal and a one pan dish... what could be better?

So I gave it a shot this week and the result was a delicious easy meal that will certainly be a staple in my kitchen repertoire.

I'd give precise amounts, but as most home cooks would tell you, the best results are found when you 'wing it', which if you are a bit "OCD" like me, that can be tough. The recipe below is based on 4 pork chops, so I halved it and made two chops instead.

Season pork chops with salt, pepper & thyme and sear chop for 2 - 3 minutes on each side. Remove chops from pan and saute garlic & (1) onion. Stir in 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 2/3 cup chicken broth. Add 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes. Return chops to pan and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 15 minutes, turning once.

Remove chops from pan and add (1 1/2 lbs) zucchini. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Serve over rice (if desired).

The pork chops were cooked to perfection and remained juicy even when reheated. The balsamic and broth made a wonderful tasty glaze for the zucchini and tomatoes. I also added rosemary instead of oregano since that's what I had on hand, and it brought the flavor of the vegetables to another level. Rosemary can be overpowering, so take care not to add too much. Enjoy!