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Kielbasa

Lentil Kielbassoulet

All of the satisfaction of a hearty, rich, bean-based cassoulet without the painstaking hours of prepping and cooking.

Chicken and Bacon Choucroute with Potato Salad

This hearty, meaty, sauerkraut-braised dinner takes only 25 minutes in the oven.

Grilled Kielbasa Tacos

Grilled peppers, scallions, and sausages come together in a snap for this summery taco dinner.

Kielbasa and Cabbage Soup

Serve up the Polish pair as a hearty soup.

Klobasnek (Sausage Kolaches)

如果你遇到一个捷克的德州,他或她将礼貌inform you it's incorrect to use the term sausage kolache when referring to a sausage-stuffed kolache. When you scrunch up your face with confusion, the person will then kindly explain that the correct term for this savory pastry is klobasnek. But wait, let's back up here for a minute. If you're not familiar with a kolache, then you may be wondering what the heck I'm talking about. Allow me to explain. A kolache is a sweetened yeast roll that's been stuffed with a fruit, cream cheese, or a poppy seed filling. The roll is either square or round, and there's a well in the center to contain the filling. With a klobasnek, the dough is wrapped entirely around the filling, and the only way you can tell what's inside is to take that first bite. You find these pastries all over Texas, though they were first introduced in Central Texan Czech communities, such as the small towns of West and Caldwell. While the origin of the term klobasnek for the sausage-stuffed version is a little vague, The Village Bakery in downtown West has claimed provenance for the term. What's interesting, however, is that these Czech pastries are more associated with Southeast Texas than with Central Texas. The two pastries are different things, but some people still insist on calling them sausage kolaches. This doesn't bother me, but I can see how it could upset some linguistic purists. No matter what you call them, however, they are good. I like to eat them for breakfast, warm from the oven when the cheese is still melted and the sausage juicy with a snap. Though they are still good a few hours later at room temperature and can easily be reheated, too.

Keilbasa with Onions and Poblanos

Polish sausage gives the onions and chiles a rich, smoky flavor.

Broiled Kielbasa and Pineapple Picks

Dating back at least to the 1950s is a party classic known as sweet-and-sour meatballs, or smoky sausages in an easy blend of mustard and jelly. We’ve seen signature variations on this theme using just about every flavor of jelly and mustard around. In the end, they all work the same, producing an easy sweet-and-sour sauce for the meat to bathe in. R. B.’s Aunt Kate, a veteran hostess and merrymaking ringleader in Melbourne, Florida, gives particularly high marks to dishes like this that score lowest in effort and highest in empty bowl at cocktail-recipe swap meets. Our somewhat Asian fusion variation calls for broiled fresh pineapple and kielbasa.

Clambake in a Pot

Three or four ingredients are traditional in a clambake: clams (which should be littlenecks, not steamers, to minimize sandiness and make eating easier); lobster, of which you don’t need much, about half per person; corn, an ear (or two, if it’s good) per person; sausage, which you can certainly do without if you prefer; and melted butter, which is entirely optional (and I find entirely unnecessary). If you have those things, all you need to do to mimic a real outdoor clambake, basically, is dump them in a pot, cover it, and turn on the heat. No kidding.

Polish Crockpot Stew with Kielbasa and Cabbage

We got this recipe from our good buddy (and Bobby’s neighbor) Michael Peay. He remembers his mom always used to make more than he and his brothers ever could eat because their house was so popular with their friends, especially around dinnertime. This stew, full of good porky sausage and plenty of tender cabbage, was his favorite childhood meal.

Sausage—Two Ways

The world of sausages is large and consists of any kind of meat mixture (or fish, or even vegetable if you want to get loose about it) that is stuffed into a casing, and they’ve existed as a way to preserve food—let’s be honest, it started with meat—since antiquity. Sausages encompass everything from American hot dogs to French saucisson, to German bratwurst, to Italian salami, to Portuguese chorizo, to an entire system of traditional British sausages. In southern Georgia, the sausage of choice is smoked sausage. I’m talking about Polish kielbasa-style sausage that’s made with coarsely ground pork, seasoned heavily with sage, garlic, and black pepper, and then is smoked to perfection so that it comes in big, fat, brown-red rings. It’s salty and lusty and really good with a cold pilsner. It’s also very, very versatile. Here are my two favorite ways of enjoying smoked sausage.

Warm Potato Salad with Sausage

One of my favorite suppers is a good sausage with warm potato salad. I love the way the sausage juices mingle with the tender new potatoes bathed in a mustardy vinaigrette—a very French taste that makes me nostalgic.

Clambake

Beach clambakes are a blast. They make me think of Annette Funicello, who I still find very attractive. Anyway … Lobsters, clams, and corn all steamed in seaweed: For me, it’s the perfect summer party. Even if you can’t get to the beach, you can still pull off a great clambake in your own backyard. Be sure to ask your fish guy for some seaweed. Lobsters come in crates packed with this stuff, so he should be able to give you some. Parboil the lobsters to kill them first before putting them on the grill. Alternatively, you can just split the bodies down the middle to kill them and skip the boiling step.

Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup

The Portuguese soupcaldo verdeis ideal cool weather comfort food. It is full of good-for-you greens and potatoes, while sausage keeps things porky and satisfying.

Sausage with Lentils and Spinach

A complete, one-pot meal.

Gruyère and Cider Fondue

Nutty Gruyère is de rigueur for a classic Swiss fondue. Hard apple cider, cider vinegar, and Calvados (apple brandy) give this great version added interest. Kielbasa, apples, and bread are served alongside for dipping— but potatoes are also good. Just steam some new potatoes or fingerlings until cooked but not falling apart, and cut them into wedges. Also, any sausage—not just kielbasa—will do. We like andouille or chicken and apple sausage, too.

Grilled Kielbasa with Warm Potato Salad

This is a great excuse to get outside and grill—and an even better excuse to have smoky kielbasa for dinner. A vinegary potato salad adds a welcome note of acidity while making this a meal in itself.

Sausage, Sourdough, and Bell Pepper Spiedini

These Italian kebabs make a very stylish one-dish supper.
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