One of the challenges of belonging to a CSA is trying to decide what to do with the vegetables. Eating locally and in season, most likely, means eating the same things for several weeks in a row. We have been getting adorable little cabbages and I've used it every way imaginable. Truth be told, I was getting a little tired of the cabbages, I had all ready made larb, twice, and slaw at least a billion times. My go-to dish is always pasta. Really is there anything so malleable as pasta?
I had some spicy thai chicken sausage in my freezer. And for those of you who came here hoping that I was going to show you how to make spicy thai chicken sausage, I'm afraid, that it was purchased. But when it tastes as good as this sausage, I really can't be bothered to make it myself. Though I do have the handy dandy sausage attachment for my mixer and have cranked out a homemade sausage or two in the past.
This dish is so similar to my other pasta dishes it's embarrassing, but yet it came out totally different, since I took it in sort of an Asian slant. To add a little extra something at the end, I topped it with toasted sesame seeds. I have to say that I think they made a huge difference, kind of like a little fresh salsa or pesto really perks up a dish, the toasted sesame seeds added a lot of flavor. I have got to remember to add these final touches, sometimes they really make a dish.
Spicy Thai Sausage and Cabbage Pasta
Serves 4
1/2 pound linguine (or whatever you have in the pantry)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb spicy thai chicken sausage (or your favorite kind of sausage)
3-4 cups thinly sliced cabbage (a mix of purple and green is pretty)
1/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste
Cook pasta in boiling salted water, per package directions.
In a large skillet brown the sausage, breaking it up as it browns over medium high heat. Remove to a bowl. Add onion and garlic to pan in the reserved sausage grease (if needed add a little canola oil, I didn't need to). Saute for about 3 minutes until onion starts to soften. Add cabbage to pan. Saute for about 2 minutes until cabbage becomes glossy, add chicken stock, cover and simmer for about 3-5 minutes until cabbage is crisp tender. Remove lid (be careful of the steam!) and add the sausage back in. Stir to combine.
While the flavors are blending, toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium high heat, until they turn golden. Add drained pasta to skillet (I like to just scoop it out, so that a little pasta water clings to it, and kind of thickens the sauce). Toss pasta with the cabbage sausage mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with toasted sesame seeds.
This was pretty taste and really quick and easy. The sausage is really well flavored so I didn't even have to add any extra seasonings, other than the garlic. This will be my entry for the weeks Presto Pasta Nights , hosted this week by Gay at A Scientist in the Kitchen.
I too always have some sort of wonderful sausages in my freezer and pasta in my pantry for just those occasions when I have to do something with veggies.
Thanks for sharing this Thai version with Presto Pasta Nights.
Mike, thanks! This is challenging. I'm afraid that I won't do so good once school starts back and I'm totally swamped with work.
Kevin - I buy at least one kind of these sausages every week, it does go with everything.
Lambros - thanks for visiting my blog, I am off to check yours out!
Hi Pam !
Im Lambros from Greece! I just come to say hello and congratulate you for your wonderful blog! I love Thai also, but my favourite is Seafood (no matter the country of origin)! Thus, I made a bilingual blog (Greek-English) called Psarotopos (Fish place) with Seafood (Greek and International kitchen)! I am expecting you there to tell me your opinion!!!
Regards,
Lambros
http://psarotopos.blogspot.com/
Those Thai spiced sausages sound good. I like using tasty sausages in pasta dishes. You can throw them together quickly with whats on hand.
Paula - I'm so glad you liked it!
Gay - Thai is my favorite also.
Noble - What kind of wine do you think would work? I think we had a sauvignon blanc, just because that's what was open.
Grace - thank you!
This is the kind of thing that has scared me away from trying a CSA--I'm not so sure I could think on my feet enough each week to respond to what I'm given. You did a great job with it though and this pasta looks really appetizing. I love the photo
oh, you've said the magic word--SPICY. what a lovely dish--you're definitely right about the mixture of purple and green cabbage being pretty. i like your asian slant. 🙂
I love anything Thai, this must taste great.
Wow, unreal sounding. I can think of the perfect wine with one...I must make it soon.
Update: I made this for dinner tonight. Of course I didn't have your yummy sausage on hand, so I sliced up a couple chicken breasts and stir fried them. This was terrific! The garlic, cabbage, pasta combo was so good. To make up for not having the spicy sausage, I added some hot pepper flakes and a spash of tamari sauce. I had to use rice pasta to keep this gluten free, and lordy, lordy, it was good! This goes on the repeat list!
Looks wonderful and easy to prepare. I've not tried the sausage; sure would love to, though. Cabbage and pasta are so good together, and I bet the spicy sausage really makes the recipe shout! Yum!