Sausage and Clams with Kale

Our CSA this week included a bunch of kale.  In addition, my son, father, and I had gone clamming last weekend, and came home with about 2 dozen clams.  Intending to find ways to use up the CSA basket and clams this week, I chose this recipe to do both.

When I first mentioned "sausage and clams" together, my husband actually shriveled his nose and said that they did not sound like things that would go well together.  Awesome.

I went ahead and made the recipe anyway.  My boys LOVED the clams and the sausage.  Both were asking for more and more and more.  THIRDS on the clams, and still asking for more.  The little one also went to town on the spaghetti I served this over, while his brother really wouldn't touch it.  Neither would eat the kale.

My husband, on the other hand, also enjoyed the clams and sausage, but thought the pasta had no flavor and did not enjoy the kale.

I enjoyed it well enough, and wish I'd added some crushed red pepper to the mix (alas, the almost 5 year old would NEVER have gone for that!)

Give it a try; maybe your family will love it more than mine!

Sausage and Clams with Kale Source:  Cooking Light

Ingredients

• Cooking spray 
• 12 ounces sweet turkey Italian sausage 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Madeira wine or dry sherry
• 8 cups chopped kale (about 10 ounces)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 
• 16 littleneck clams

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in chopped onion and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add Madeira; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Add kale, salt, and chicken broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in clams; cook, covered, 10 minutes or until shells open. Discard any unopened shells.

Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison, Cooking Light
OCTOBER 2008