Sausages, Peppers, Onions and Potatoes

I developed this recipe initially for my meat and potato loving kids. Making dinner for teenage boys can be incredibly gratifying on the rare occasion when you cook the perfect thing.

My three sons have always had appetites that defy the scope of imagination, especially on a school night after a sports practice. They would walk into the house, a giant backpack hitched to one side and the first thing out of their mouth was "I'm starved. What's for dinner?"

Sausages, peppers, onions and potatoes is always a huge hit. ("No tofu tonight. Phew!")

Here's what you'll need to make this dish:

• Smoked Sausages - any type or flavor of smoked (fully-cooked) sausages will work in this dish - pick your favorite.
• Bell Peppers - Red bell peppers were looking really good at the market the day I cooked and photographed this dish but yellow, green or orange will work too, as long as they're sweet bell peppers.
• Onions - Yellow or red onion.
• Potatoes - Use Yukon golds or another yellow flesh potato. Yellow potatoes hold their shape better than russets when cooked, and you want a hardy potato for this rustic dish.
• Green Beans - for some crisp, healthy green goodness and to make this a complete meat, potato and veg meal!
• Pomegranate molasses - be sure to buy pure pomegranate molasses which has just one ingredient - pomegranate juice. This sweet and sour syrup, drizzled over everything, is amazing!

How to make Sausages, Peppers, Onions and Potatoes

This dish may look like a big jumbled, all-in-one-pot mish mosh, but it's actually crafted so that each ingredient is cooked perfectly before everything is mixed together.

The green beans are blanched so stay bright green and retain a robust crunch. The potatoes are boiled until tender. The sausages get a good sear for that rich, browned meaty flavor and the peppers and onions are sautéed to bring out their natural sweetness.

• Boil the potatoes: Cut them into bite-sized chunks and cook them for ten minutes or so, until tender. Drain and set them aside.
• Blanch the Green Beans: Plunge the green beans into a pot of boiling water and leave them for two to three minutes, until they are bright green and just tender (but not mushy!) Drain the beans, plunge them into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process, drain again and set them aside.

• Sauté the sausages: since smoked sausages are already fully cooked, the idea here is to sear them to develop extra color and flavor. Once they're browned, transfer them to a bowl.
• Sauté the peppers and onions: Add onions and peppers to the skillet and sauté until tender and starting to brown.

• Put it all together: Add the sausages and potatoes back to the skillet with the peppers and onions. Drizzle with olive oil and pomegranate molasses (or balsamic vinegar), and toss well.
• Finish the dish: Gently toss the green beans with the rest of the ingredients, over low heat, until everything is well combined and heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Time to dig in!

Variations and Substitutions

One of the things I love about this sausages, peppers, onions and potatoes recipe is how rustic and flexible it is.

• Substitute in your favorite type of smoked sausage from vegan beyond meat sausages to chicken sausage to smoky kielbasa - whatever your heart desires.
• Choose your veg - Greens beans are great in this dish but so are zucchini or broccoli or brussels sprouts.
• Pick a drizzle - Instead of pomegranate molasses, try drizzling with an equal amount of good balsamic vinegar or with 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce, olive oil and red wine vinegar (one of my favorite drizzles!)