Isernio’s Chicken Apple Sausage Chowder with Sweet Potatoes and Saffron

Recipe by Jessica Thomson

Serves 4 to 6

Isernio’s chicken-apple sausage makes a lovely date for your morning waffles, but it also lends itself well to more savory dinnertime applications. Here’s an unusual chowder—the chicken-apple sausage gives it just the slightest hint of sweetness. Serve with a green salad and a hunk of good, crusty bread.

1 pound Isernio’s chicken-apple sausage links
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (2 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 cups (1 liter-sized box) chicken broth
Pinch saffron threads (loose 1/2 teaspoon)
1 cup half and half or whole milk
1 cup frozen sweet corn or fresh corn kernels
Few dashes hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Using a small, sharp knife, make a slit in the sausages lengthwise and remove the meat from the casings. Discard the casings.

Preheat a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then add the sausage, breaking it into bite-sized pieces as you drop it into the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sausages are cooked through and nicely browned on the outside, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot, then add the onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping at any brown pieces that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat all the onions with the flour. Cook a minute or two, stirring, then add the sweet potatoes, cider vinegar, chicken broth and saffron threads. Bring the chowder to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the half and half or milk, corn and cooked sausage. Simmer another three minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and hot pepper sauce, if desired. Stir in the parsley just before serving.

Click here to read the Frank Isernio story