Spicy Sausage Rigatoni

You haven't seen much savory stuff here in a while, I know. I didn't think anyone was on to me but I got an email this morning from a reader (hi!), and I can't help but fulfill the request promptly, considering how seldom I get emails from this blog. And I was already halfway through typing up the carrot cake... Oh well!

One of my best friends was brave enough to move into an apartment around the corner from mine. I say brave because everyone who lives close enough to eat with me daily ends up puttin on a little weight...but it's not my fault! Portions, people! Anyway, this friend has developed a habit of coming over for dinner as often as possible (shock!). Fortunately, he has also developed a habit of bringing ingredients. Sometimes it's a couple of things I forgot to pick up at the store, and sometimes it's, "Surprise! It's sausage night!" And that is how this recipe came to be.

Luckily I keep a stash of various kinds of canned tomatoes, pastas, fresh herbs, and cheese handy, so that sausage was a good surprise. I went for rigatoni mostly because the other options were shells or lasagna, and I put sherry in the sauce because I can't help but put sherry in everything. (If you don't have any, go buy it. Then put it in every meat, fish, or mushroom dish you make, and you will thank me.) Sherry just might be my official favorite ingredient this year.

I didn't have as many fresh herbs on hand as I would've liked, but the sauce is lovely with just thyme. This recipe serves 3, or 2 if one has a bottomless stomach. It's also pretty fast, like, light speed compared to most of the stuff I cook!

Spicy Sausage Rigatoni
3 or 4 links spicy Italian sausage
about 1/2 a box of rigatoni
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup sherry
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15-oz can plain tomato sauce
1 15-oz can diced plum tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 branches worth of fresh thyme (about 1 tsp)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese for garnish

Measure out the amount of water needed according to the pasta box, and bring it to a boil. Place the sausage links carefully and boil until fully cooked. Remove the sausages with tongs but leave the water, you will cook the pasta in it momentarily, and it will be delicious.

In another sauce pot, sautée the minced garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until fragrant, then add the sherry. When the noise stops, add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil, add a little water if it looks too solid. Turn heat down to medium and let simmer, stirring often. Slice the sausages about 1/4" thick and add them to the sauce. You should probably start the pasta around this time.

When the pasta is drained and ready, remove the sauce from heat and stir in some cheese. Serve over pasta immediately, preferably with some garlic bread and red wine. And more cheese on top, obviously.

Spicy South American Chicken

I made this the other night to accompany the banana rum tart I made. I made it up as I went, and it was really yummy so I was pretty pleased that I'd taken the time to write things down as I threw them in. This recipe is thankfully fast to make, it should take about as much time as the rice takes to cook. I love when things work out that way!

Spicy Peruvian Chicken

2 chicken legs, 2 chicken thighs on the bone
1/3 stick butter
4 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup cooking sherry
1 tbsp adobo
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika

Mix the adobo, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, and cumin in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil until bubbly. Add the chopped onions and garlic and sautée until onions are softened and clear. Pour the lemon juice and sherry into the middle of the pan, stir, and shove the onions to the edge of the pan. Add the chicken and sprinkle half of the seasoning mix on it. Cover for about 5 minutes, then turn the chicken pieces over and sprinkle the rest of the seasoning on them. Turn the heat down to medium. Cover and let cook, flipping the pieces as you see fit, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Serve with red beans and rice and plantains if you've got 'em.