Smoked Sausage Creole

Angela Kershaw sent this one in. Sausage browned first so the drippings season the trinity, then a tomato base that simmers down while you cook the rice. A weeknight dish that eats like a Sunday one.

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs smoked sausage, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock or water
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 4 cups hot cooked white rice, for serving
• ¼ cup green onions, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage. Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until beautifully browned on both sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
2. Sauté the trinity. Reduce the heat to medium. Toss the onion, bell pepper, and celery directly into the sausage drippings. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Build the Creole sauce. Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, and the bay leaf. Stir well, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Simmer. Return the browned sausage to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes so the flavors marry and the sauce thickens slightly.
5. Finish and serve. Remove the cover, discard the bay leaf, and stir in a splash of hot sauce to your preferred heat level. Serve hot over a generous bed of fluffy white rice and top with fresh green onions.