Italian Sausage and Polenta Bites

Ingredients

• 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage links
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 24 saltine crackers
• 1 1/2 tablespoons scallions, sliced on an angle

Directions

Cook sausage with oil in a hot saute pan until done. This may take about 45 minutes. Remove from pan. Let sausage rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into about 2 dozen slices. In same pan, gently cook red bell peppers until tender and drain well.

While the sausage is cooking, begin the polenta. Combine chicken stock and cream in a large heavy saucepan. Heat to a gentle boil over medium heat, being careful not to burn. While whisking constantly, gradually add the cornmeal in a thin stream. Once cornmeal is incorporated, keep heat low and continue to whisk until mixture is slightly thickened and creamy. Stir in butter and cooked red bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Spoon a small amount of polenta on each saltine cracker and then a slice of sausage. Then add 1/8 teaspoon polenta on top of the sausage slice and garnish with 1 or 2 slices of scallions.