Chicken-apple sausage, already fully cooked, is available at most groceries and natural food stores; Applegate Farms makes a great one. You can also experiment with the cheese on this dish; a raw-milk Monterey jack works well, but so could an aged gruyere, a smoked Gouda or any of the Dutch cheeses that melt well. This dish has no additional seasoning; the sausage adds all the necessary salt and usually other herbs and spices as well.
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 package chicken-apple sausage, sliced into quarter-inch chunks One to two zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise, then sliced One large or two small poblano peppers, diced
½ pound Monterey jack cheese
Cut cheese into quarter-inch slices, then roughly julienne those to be small enough to melt, but not disappear into dish. Oil large iron skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil; heat to medium, then wipe out some of the excess with paper towel.
Sauté sausage chunks until crispy on both sides; remove to plate. Add half the remaining oil and sauté zucchini until soft; return chicken to skillet and add poblanos, stirring with spatula. Add last half-tablespoon of oil if necessary. When smallest bits of zucchini have become limp, add cheese and remove from heat. If cheese hasn’t begun to melt, plate servings and microwave each for 10-20 seconds on high. (You want them to be still noticeably separate, not completely melted into the dish). Yields 4 servings.
