Farmer's Market Finds: Rabbit Sausage and Sautéed Russian Kale

Living in California, I am never hard-up for fresh fruits and vegetables.  I sometimes forget that the majority of the country doesn't have this kind of access to the bounty that we have here.  Now, California does sometimes have to rely on other countries during the winter, we still have plenty of fresh vegetables to choose from during the winter and early spring.  Like many little towns and neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area, Campbell has its own weekly Farmer's Market.  This market is always packed, rain or shine, and the vendors are always there.  The majority of farms who have booths are from the Salinas or San Jouquin Valleys.  There are also local artists, a local honey and beeswax seller, and plenty of great hot food booths (including my absolute favorite:  Oaxacan Kitchen).  I'm sad to say that I don't make it out to the Farmer's Market as I honestly should (it's only about a mile and a half from our home).  I did make a point to go this weekend, while Marshall was out.  I honestly think I have more fun at these things than he does, but I made good on my own promise and went Sunday morning.  I made the initial pass through the entire market and nothing really caught my eye.  It was getting into the early afternoon and I was hungry, so I got in line for the Oaxacan Kitchen and looked to my left.  It was the usual charcuterie booth (Fabrique Délices, out of Hayward) and I glanced at their menu.  Then, I spotted it:  Rabbit and Prune Sausage.  My mouth watered.  I had to have some.  After I placed my order for lunch and then made a beeline to buy the sausage.  I finally had a meal in mind:  Rabbit and Prune Sausage with Sautéed Bitter Greens.  My mom used to make a variation of this with red chard and chicken-apple sausage and it was a delicious, healthy, and quick weekday meal.  Before I left the market, I stopped at one of the first booths I walked past earlier and they had bunches of bitter greens.  I picked up 2 bunches of Russian Kale and 1 bunch of Mustard Greens (for later in the week).  I walked away from the market feeling fully satisfied and eager to eat!

I couldn't have made a better decision for dinner tonight.  I was a little worried about the sausage, since I didn't plan on grilling it, but pan-frying instead.  Luckily, the package had some easy cooking instructions:  cook in a pan over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.  Easy enough!  I already knew how to make the greens:  sauté with olive oil and lots of chopped garlic, until wilted and tender.  Since I didn't want to burn either dish, I had some chicken broth (only 1/4-1/2 Cup) on hand to provide a little steam to finish off the cooking.  I had never had Russian Kale before, but the lady selling it said it was great.  After I had the lid on the pan for a bit and uncovered the greens, I got a huge whiff of the forest:  earthy, dewy, and slightly sweet.  I love that smell.  I tasted the greens for doneness and they were perfect:  tender, not mushy, and just slightly sweet.  This is by far the most UN-bitter of bitter greens I have had.  The sausage was cooked perfectly.  The texture of the sausage was a little more chunky than your average mass-produced sausage; definitely more country-style sausage.  You could easily pick out the tender pieces of rabbit and there was just enough chopped prune to add a hint of dark sweetness.  Overall a fantastic dinner:  light, fresh, and fast!

Pan-Fried Sausage

4 Uncooked Sausage (whatever you fancy!)
Olive Oil
Chicken/Vegetable Broth (you could also use water, instead)

1.  Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.  Add the sausages and brown, about 3-5 minutes per side.
2.  Once sausages are browned, add about 1/4 Cup broth or water to the pan and immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid.  Cook over medium-low heat until cooked through, about 7-10 minutes.

Note:  You can make this as big or small a recipe, depending on who you're cooking for.  I suggest no more than 4 sausages to a pan, as you don't want to crowd the pan.  You can, of course, grill the sausages instead.  It's really up to you!

Sautéed Russian Kale
Serves 4

2 Bunches Russian Kale (any bitter greens will do), woody stems trimmed, and cut into 1-2" strips
2-4 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
Olive Oil
Chicken/Vegetable Broth (or water)

1.  Heat about 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a very large heavy skillet over medium heat (medium-high if using a gas cook-top).  Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes), make sure to not brown, or garlic will get bitter.

2.  Add in the greens.  You'll end up with a lot of greens, but they'll cook down in no-time.  Pile them as best to keep them all in the pan.  After about a minute, start turning with tongs, warming and coating the greens with oil and garlic.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

3.  Sauté for about 5-6 minutes.  Add in about a 1/4 Cup of broth or water to the pan and immediately cover with a lid.  Cook an additional 3-4 minutes.  Check for doneness.  You're looking for al dente, the greens should still retain a bite, but not crunch (watch for the stems, which might take a little longer to cook).  Serve right away.

Note:  I use this same recipe for Mustard Greens, regular Kale, and Chard.  I also sometimes spice it up a bit with red pepper flakes.  Just add in the red pepper flakes when you cook the garlic.  You'll infuse the oil with the spice and will definitely add a kick to the greens.  Fresh winter greens don't need a whole lot of seasoning or cooking to taste delicious.