Roadside Diner

I never submit anything for the Carnival of the Recipes, but I whipped this up for Buckaroo Bonsai last night, and he's been raving about it ever since:

Omnibus Driver's "Whoohoo! Summer Ragout"

You'll need:

4-6 Links of Italian Sausage (I use a mix of sweet and hot) cut into 1" pieces
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Who measures? Certainly not I!)
1/2 Large Sweet Bell Pepper (I like to use yellow or orange for color), seeded, cored and cut into chunky bits
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, peeled and cut into good-sized chunks
1 6-8" Zucchini, cut into 1/4-1/2" slices
1 lb. White Mushrooms, cut into 1/2" slices
Minced Garlic -- to taste (I use about one heaping soup spoon full)
1 Healthy Handful Fresh Basil, rough chopped
Lemon Pepper -- to taste (I use about 1/2 teaspoon)
Spike or Lawry's Seasoned Salt -- to taste
If you like a bit more kick, you can add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to taste
1 14.5 oz. Can Redgold Tomatoes -- Italian-style
Good Dry Red Wine -- to taste
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Drizzle a little EVOO in a medium-hot skillet. Add the sausage chunks and sauté until brown. Remove pieces to drain on a paper towel.

Drizzle a little more EVOO into the skillet and add bell pepper, onions, zucchini and garlic. Sauté until slightly glassy (the veggies, not you).

Add the mushrooms and continue sautéing until onions are glassy, peppers are glossy and mushrooms have browned.

Toss in the basil and stir around until it wilts a bit.

Add seasonings and tomatoes.

Plop the sausage chunks back into the pot.

Sample the broth, then add red wine to taste. (Pour yourself a glass while you're at it.)

Bring up to a boil, then cover and simmer for at least half an hour. (The longer it simmers, the better the flavors meld.)
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You can serve this over pasta or rice, but I prefer it in all its naked glory, with some good crusty bread (an Assiago cheese bread is superb) for sopping up the juices.
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Leftovers? Before putting them into a storage container, rinse and drain one 14.5 oz. can of cannelini beans and stir into the ragout. Pop into the fridge. Serve chilled on a bed of arugala for a delicious cold summer "chili." Yum.
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