I saved this recipe for Hungarian Sausage Stew with Ale (click for link to original recipe) from the July 2012 issue of Food & Wine magazine . I rarely make anything from this magazine although it is one of my favorites to read. I always thought the recipes sounded too difficult for a home-cook like myself. Every time I make one though I realize how wrong I am. They are delicious and much easier than I think they are.
Of course I didn’t make the recipe as was in the magazine but made it my own. I hope you will do the same!
Verdict:
This soup wasn’t quite as thick as I had hoped it would be. Next time I will add a cornstarch and water slurry to thicken it a bit more. The flavor was really good though. The only complaint was that my son thought the ale masked the other flavors a bit too much. Yes, he really is my little foodie.
I served this dish with a crusty loaf of bread for dipping in the broth and a green side salad.
Hungarian Sausage Stew with Ale
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces thick slab bacon, sliced 1/4 inch thick and cut into 1/4-inch strips
- 1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
- 3 large bell peppers, thinly sliced (red, orange or yellow – NOT green)
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. spicy sausage, thickly sliced – I used Chicken Red Pepper sausage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 cup red ale or 1 cup lager beer
- 2 bay leaves
- kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
Directions:
- In a large pot cook the bacon strips over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until very lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the bell peppers and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.
- Stir in the sausage slices, crushed red pepper and paprika and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the beer and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Cover partially and cook over low heat until the vegetables are very tender and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust spices as necessary.
What's for Dinner Moms? 
The stew does sound really good, but I wonder if the cooking times were long enough to reduce out the ale flavor? And I totally agree with you on the NO green bell peppers! They always overpower everything else!
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It is only a cup of ale. It had a bit of flavor but he even hated the smell of the beer.
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This is very different and sounds good! Your son has good taste!
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Thank you!
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yumm
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