By Rosa's fourteenth death anniversary. Diego graduates UTEP next spring. Camila is a junior at Bel Air, sixteen, the voice growing. The choir, the drama club, the guitar, the songwriting — all of it building toward a future that is not El Paso (I know this, I can feel it — Camila will leave, the way Luis Jr. left for the Army, the way Diego will leave for wherever bridges need building — and the leaving is the gift, the gift of a mother who crossed a bridge so her children could cross bigger ones). Chile colorado year fourteen. The candles in three locations. The ritual that needs no description because the ritual is the description, and the description is the ritual, and both are: I kneel, I pray, I cook, I remember, I rise.
Chile colorado is the ritual—but the ritual is really just heat and time, a pot that asks nothing of you except that you stay close and tend it. When I need a second dish on the table, something for the children who will eat before the prayers and the candles, I reach for something that simmers the same way: low and slow, filling the kitchen with a smell that says someone is here, someone is cooking, someone remembers. These simmered smoked links have become part of that same afternoon—the kids set the table, I stir the pot, and for a few hours the house holds all of us, even the ones who have already left.
Simmered Smoked Links
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 package (14 oz) smoked sausage links, sliced into 1-inch rounds
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Brown the links. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced smoked sausage and cook 3–4 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Soften the vegetables. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion and bell pepper and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Build the simmer. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the smoked paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine.
- Return the links. Nestle the browned sausage back into the pan. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low.
- Simmer low and slow. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors have come together.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls or serve over rice or warm tortillas. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 265 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 20g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 720mg