Skillet Sausage and Peppers

Steps

1. Put the sausages and water in a 12-inch skillet. Cover and

   simmer (how to simmer)

   Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid

   over medium heat, turning once, so they cook through gently.
   ⏱ Steam sausages: 8 min
2. Uncover and keep cooking, turning every couple of minutes, until the water is gone and the sausages are browned all over.
   ⏱ Brown sausages: 7 min
3. Move the sausages to a plate. Leave the fat in the pan.
4. Add the oil, peppers, onion and salt to the skillet and stir to coat.
5. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the vegetables are soft and browned at the edges. Lower the heat if they start to scorch.
   ⏱ Cook peppers: 12 min
6. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes until fragrant.
   ⏱ Garlic: 1 min
7. Pour in the broth and vinegar and

   scrape up the browned bits (how to deglaze)

   Deglaze Pour liquid into a hot pan and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom, which hold a lot of flavor. 1. After browning, pour off all but a spoonful of fat.2. With the pan still hot, pour in wine, broth or water; it will sizzle and steam.3. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon or flat spatula until the brown layer dissolves.4. Let it bubble down, as the recipe says, into the base of a sauce. Done when: The bottom of the pan is clean and the liquid has turned brown and tasty. Safety: Take the pan off the flame before pouring in wine or spirits, and turn your face away from the steam.How to deglaze a pan: mistakes to avoid

   from the pan.
8. Return the sausages to the pan, cover and cook over low heat until the sausages read 160°F (71°C) in the center.
   160°F⏱ Finish: 5 min
9. Serve the sausages and peppers in toasted rolls topped with provolone, or

   slice (how to slice)

   Slice Cut food into flat pieces of the same thickness. 1. Give round food a flat side to sit on.2. Hold it with your fingertips curled under.3. Cut with long strokes, pushing the knife forward and down rather than straight down.4. Move your guiding hand back the same distance each time so every slice matches. Done when: The slices are even. For meat, slicing across the grain (across the lines of muscle) gives the tenderest bite. Safety: Keep the fingertips of your guiding hand curled under, knuckles toward the blade, and set the board on a damp towel so it can't slide. Slice hot roasts on a board with a groove for the juices.How to slice evenly: mistakes to avoid

   the sausages and spoon everything over pasta.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• Simmering the links in water first cooks them through without burning the casings.
• To melt the cheese, set the filled rolls on a sheet pan under the broiler for 1 minute.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat in a covered skillet with a splash of water.

Make ahead

Slice the peppers and onions up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them in a container.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: bell peppers (July to October).