A Warm Winter Meal: Sausage with Potatoes and Cabbage

It’s the darkest time of year here in the north and the short days have us feeling extra lazy. When it’s already dark out by the time we get home, it’s hard to find motivation for anything other than cozying up on the couch with a new book.

So, when we found this easy-peasy recipe for sausage with potatoes and cabbage inspired by the Moon of Long Nights we were thrilled! Now we can make a quick and delicious dinner AND be on the couch in a matter of minutes! 

The following is an excerpt from Full Moon Feast by Jessica Prentice. It has been adapted for the web.

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The Moon of Long Nights arrives in late autumn as the days grow shorter and the winter solstice approaches. In some parts of the world nights are so long that dawn and dusk occur almost at the same time. It is eerie to contemplate such sunless days, and yet they are an annual reality for many northern dwellers. Even those people living at moderately northern latitudes experience the shortness of the day and the length of the night at this time of year. It is a time of darkness.

On the Moon of Long Nights, may we begin to be a little more comfortable with the dark, and the mystery it symbolizes. May we remember to sleep, and to rest, to dream, and to talk to the Divine. May we remember that there is no such thing as human perfection, and show humility in the presence of all the things that surpass understanding. May we remember that both illness and difference can be gifts, or can carry within them gifts of very great measure. Let us not be too arrogant to accept the gift, or to offer the giver a place at our table. And may that table be full of nourishing foods, with plenty to share.

RECIPE: Sausage with Potatoes and Cabbage

Serves 2–4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons bacon drippings, olive oil, lard, or other fat
2 whole fresh sausages in casings
2 leeks, sliced thin, including much of the green part—or 1 large onion, sliced thin
1 small head cabbage or ½ large head cabbage, shredded
½ teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
½ bunch greens (chard, kale, collards; or mustard, radish, or turnip greens), sliced into ribbons
3 medium potatoes (such as Yukon gold), diced
½ cup hot water or stock, or more as needed
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup sauerkraut (optional)
Sour cream or crème fraîche

Procedure

• Heat the bacon drippings, oil, or fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the whole sausages and brown on both sides.
• Add the leeks (or onions) to the pan around the sausage and sauté. When the sausage is cooked through, remove it from the pan and let it cool.
• Add the shredded cabbage to the pan along with a pinch of salt and the optional caraway seeds. Continue to sauté a few minutes, until the cabbage begins to wilt.
• Add the greens and stir gently.
• Add the diced potatoes, another pinch of salt, and the hot water or stock. Cover, reduce the heat somewhat, and steam until potatoes are just tender. Add more water or stock if the pan gets too dry.
• Slice the sausage into ½-inch-thick pieces and add it back to the pan, stirring to incorporate and heat through. You can also leave the sausage whole or cut it in half.
• Add plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and adjust.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the optional sauerkraut.
• Serve in a shallow bowl with a big dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche.

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