I found the original recipe in the Wegmans MENU magazine, but made several changes to it to make it not require Wegmans’ prepared ingredients. It was originally named “Slow-Cooked Italian Sausage Agrodolce” and I figured out after the fact that “agrodolce” must mean sweet vegetables. Interestingly the recipe doesn’t use “sweet vegetables” but it does use vegetables and a sweet sauce. It tastes kind of like a German-flavored barbecued sausage.
I know, the flavor sounds weird, but as I sat there eating this concoction I was inspired to state out loud to my husband and guest, “This is damn good.” So there you have it.
Time:
Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 9.5 hours
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs sweet Italian sausage (links)
1 Tbsp EVOO
8 C sliced green cabbage
2 C sliced red onions
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 C golden raisins (optional)
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1-6oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 C red wine vinegar
2 tsp vinegar
2 tsp honey
bread and salad to serve with
1 6-7 Qt slow cooker
Directions:
1. Slice cabbage and onions and add to bottom of slow cooker. Chop garlic and add that to slow cooker also.
2. Combine raisins, tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed red pepper, vinegar, and honey in a bowl. Pour this into the slow cooker over the vegetables and spread it with the back of a large spoon.
3. Heat oil in skillet on medium-high heat. Brown sausage about 5-8 minutes. Place sausage links in the slow cooker on top of everything else.
4. Cook on LOW for 8-9 hours.
5. Serve on plates or in large pasta bowls, along with some crusty bread and a simple salad.
Nutrition:
6 servings
1 serving = 1 sausage and 1/6 of the vegetables and sauce
400 calories per serving
