Rhubarb, Swiss Chard & Sausage Skillet, Key West Napoleon and more!

Rhubarb & Swiss Chard Sausage Skillet

This recipe comes to us compliments of the Columbia University quarterly magazine. Sally's daughter Holly is a Masters graduate of that esteemed institution.

What struck both of us was the unusual list of ingredients – Swiss chard and rhubarb?? Italian sausage and maple syrup and garam masala?? What was this going to taste like? I just had to try it to see...

4 mild Italian Sausage, pricked with a fork to let out steam when being cooked

1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch Swiss Chard – your choice of color

6-8 oz Rhubarb pieces (frozen works just fine)

1 Tbsp dried Currants or Golden Raisins

1 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

1/2” piece of fresh Ginger, peeled and grated or minced

A pinch of Salt

1 Bay Leaf

Disassemble the chard – cut the stems into 1/4” thick rounds, tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Keep the leaves and stems separate. Also cut the rhubarb into 1/4” thick slices.

Heat a splash of EVOO in a large skillet on medium high and cook the sausages until well browned all over. Transfer to a plate and reserve.

Saute the onion in the same skillet, until soft. Add the chard stems and continue until the onion is browned and the chard is softening (about 5 minutes).

Add the rhubarb, currants, maple, syrup, garam masala, salt, ginger, and the bay leaf. Cook, stirring often, until the rhubarb is falling apart (8-10 minutes). If the pan starts to scorch, add a few tablespoons to a quarter cup of water.

Add the chard leaves, and cook while stirring, until they wilt. Remove the bay leaf and plate the chard mixture on a serving platter.

Return the sausage to the skillet, and re-heat to crisp up on all sides. Serve on top of the chard-rhubarb mixture.  Any good quality, not-too-spiced sausage would work well here, such as kielbasa, mild bratwurst, etc.

Smoked Fish & Tomato Napoleon

We took a long weekend trip to Key West with our friends Melinda and Christine from Orlando. Went down on the Key West Express high-speed ferry on Friday morning, got there about 12:30; spent two nights at the Westwinds Inn, then left late Sunday afternoon in a torrential line squall (quartering following seas and wind made for an 'interesting' ride), and we arrived back in Fort Myers Beach about 10:30.

We found a couple of interesting and new-to-us places to eat, notably the restaurants 2 Cents, Blue Heaven and the Eaton Fish Market. Really good food in all three of these establishments; check them out if you're Key West bound!

Our friend Mel had this Smoked Snapper and Tomato “salad” Napoleon as half of her “two app” dinner on Saturday night at the Blue Heaven.  The little toasts were great for scooping up 'fallout', and the spicy-tangy house-made pickles played a nice counterpoint to the richness of the fish and tomato.

Napoleon is a French cooking term for a stack of things -- originally the layers of puff pastry and pastry cream so loved by the emperor. Main or salad course Napoleons, like this one, often alternate meat and vegetables.

For this Napoleon you can, of course, use tuna or salmon from a can, or fresh fish. Locally I might also use smoked mullet dip. Crab dip would also do well, and if you had to you could even make this with canned chicken for non-seaood lovers. 

You really want the protein “mashed” finer than you would for tuna salad, so a trip in the food processor might be easier than hand mashing.

• Fish
• Liquid Smoke to taste – easy does it, this is powerful stuff, just a few drops!
• Tomato(es) sliced fairly thick, the yellow tomatoes were a nice touch, but red beefsteak size tomatoes will work well also.
• Baby Greens and/or Sprouts – the sprouts atop Mel's dinner are beet. You could also serve this on a bed of couscous, quinoa or amaranth.

Cuban Breakfast Muffins

I created these savory muffins for our Cabana guests who need to be 'out and about' early – to catch the Key West Express for example. I made these for our own Key West Express trip.

1-1/4 cup Bisquick ^tm

1 cup Half & Half

4 Eggs, beaten

1/2 cup diced Ham

1/2 cup diced Red Bell Pepper

1 small can diced Green Chiles

1/2 cup diced Dill Pickle – I use the “baby whole” kind

1/4 cup shredded Cheese

1 tsp Sazon Completa spice blend

Combine the dairy and the flour and whisk to combine. Add the fillings and stir to distribute them. Spoon the mixture into muffin cups, I have a bunch of the silicon re-usable ones that work great. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are nicely browned.  Two muffins make a very filling breakfast!