Slow Cooker Andouille Sausage Stew with Grilled Polenta

Andouille sausage sits in for bratwurst to make this hearty fall stew Cajun style and the grilled polenta adds an Italian touch. Perfectly cooked in a slow cooker with little prep time involved also makes this an easy dish for a Sunday night supper for family and friends. In addition to the andouille, the stew is loaded with red potatoes, green cabbage, onion, pre-packaged chopped ham,  and red bell pepper.  Slow cooked in a chicken broth, spicy mustard and cider vinegar mixture  for about six hours transposes these simple readily available ingredients into a flavorful medley. To make this meal super easy, use ready made polenta from the grocery store.

When buying a slow cooker, some nice features include-a removable ceramic or stainless steel insert, and a programmable timer to set the cooker to start if you are away from home all day. However, the cooker should be set to start within 2 hours of filling it. Other nice features include a timer that shifts from cooking to a "keep warm" cycle as soon as the timed cooking ends.



Andouille Sausage Stew

4 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage
14 ounce package Rajin Cajun andouille sausage-medium hot or your favorite smoked sausage
1 cup cubed ham-1/2-inch size
2 cups coarsely chopped red potatoes
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
32 ounce package chicken broth
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Shredded Jack cheese, optional
Grilled polenta for serving, using ready made or homemade grilled polenta

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine cabbage, andouille sausage, ham, potatoes, red bell pepper and onion. In a large measuring cup, whisk together chicken broth, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour over ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on the low-heat setting for 6-7 hours or on high heat setting for 3-3 1/2 hours. In large soup bowls, pour stew over grilled polenta squares and top with shredded Jack cheese, if desired. Makes 6 -8 servings. Andouille stew recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens-Ultimate Slow Cooker-2008.