Sausages With Beans
The addition of beans to this Louisiana classic creates a uniquely different dish. Recommended variations: add a pound of medium, peeled and deveined shrimp during the last 10 minutes of cooking, or make this a tasty vegetarian dish by omitting the ham.
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups peeled plum tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12 sweet Italian sausages
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 48-ounce jar Randall Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
Put the olive oil in a big pan over medium heat and add the tomatoes, mashing them as they go in. Add the salt, raise the heat and, once the tomatoes are bubbling, lower the heat to a simmer.
In the meantime, prick the sausages with a fork, and put them in a frying pan with 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until all the water has evaporated, and the sausages have given up some of their fat (you may want to prick them again) and are lightly browned on all sides. Add them to the simmering tomato sauce.
Cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce has really thickened, and the sausages have lent their flavor to the tomatoes. Taste for salt, adding some if necessary, and add the pepper.
Add drained Randall Beans to the cooked sausages in tomato sauce.
Add 1/2 cup warm water and simmer an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve with hot Italian bread.