Sausage and pepper en croute

step 1
In a saute pan place sausage and some cold water, set heat to medium high. Bring water to under a boil. After a few minutes the water will start to leach out some of the sausages fat and flavor. I usually place sausages in a pan of water instead of placing it directly into a hot pan. To me when you place the sausage in water first it begins to extract the products flavor and fat onto the pan and in the water, thus cooking the sausage, when the water has evaporated the sausage is cooked and all you have is flavor that has settled onto the bottom of the pan. After that we just pan ser to give not only a rich dark color but intense flavor. When sausage is done, set aside. Slice on a bias.

step 2
For the peppers and onion. Julienne the vegetables. The pepper, slice the top and bottom to create a more stable product to slice. From there slice the sides of the pepper. Once all side have been sliced, we need to "clean the pepper by removing the "membrane". Do this by laying the flat, then take your knife and as close as possible slice carefully across pepper just under the white part of the pepper. Continue to slice through. From here we will make our julienne cut. Simply place a small stack of peppers and slice length-wise of the pepper to create the cut. Don't forget the top and bottom of the pepper, simply slice length-wise. Discard the stem. Little waste and complete utilization of product.

step 3
We do the same with the onion. Once the top and bottom have been cut and the top layer of skin peeled off, with the flat side down slice the onion length-wise, you can see the segments, use this as your guide for the cut. It should produce nice thin slices of onion.

step 4
In a heated saute pan, drizzle a little olive oil, wait until the oil just begins to smoke then place peppers, onions. Take your whole peeled garlic and give them a quick smash to release the oil and place in saute pan. Season. When onions have become translucent, add a about a cup of water to the pan to deglaze and pick up added flavor. Once water has evaporated set aside.

step 5
Assembly. Toast or grill your bread. Slice thin and on a bias. Place a little of the pepper and onion mix, place on toast, place on top of pepper a few slices of your sausage and garnish with a little more of the pepper mix.

step 6
I modified this recipe a little for an appetizer. Usually found all over Chicago, the original form is much like a hotdog. Some places add marinara sauce. Until next time, one plate at a time.