Shelly's Recipe

GERMAN SAUSAGE & PEPPERS

Category: Sausage

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 bratwursts
1/2 cup German beer
2 shallots, thinly sliced
5 small sweet bell peppers (or 2 regular bell peppers), thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
1 pint mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh basil, sliced thinly (for garnish)
4 rolls, for serving (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. When the butter is foaming, add in the bratwursts and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Do not cook them completely through – you want them to cook more later along with the shallots and peppers. Remove the brats from the pan and set aside on a separate plate.

Reduce the heat to medium and deglaze the pan with the beer – make sure you scrape up all the good, browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add a splash or two more if you are so inclined. Add in the thinly sliced shallots, saute for about 5 minutes, then add in the thinly sliced bell peppers. Continue to saute until caramelized, about 8 more minutes over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Remove the mixture from the pan, place it in a separate bowl, and wipe down the pan with a paper towel.

Add the thinly sliced mushrooms to the dry skillet. Mushrooms release their own juices as they cook, so they should not be cooked in butter and/or oil from the start. Make sure that the mushrooms aren’t too crowded in the pan, either – cook them in batches, if need be. The mushrooms will begin to brown and soften after a few minutes over medium heat. When they’ve started to brown, add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and gently saute. When the mushrooms have absorbed some of the butter and are nice and golden, add the shallots, peppers, and garlic back to the pan. Stir to combine.

Thinly slice the brats that you have set aside and add them to the pan. They should still be a bit pink in the middle when you add them to the pan, but as they cook, they will release their juices and really develop the flavor of the whole dish. Cook over medium heat until the brats are cooked through. Taste, and add more salt and/or pepper if you like, along with the red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with a bit of fresh basil. Serve in bowls or as a sandwich. Yield: 4-5 servings