# Seared Sausage with Summer Succotash, Blue Lake Beans, and Crispy Smashed Potato > A browned sausage anchors a plate of sweet corn succotash and tender Blue Lake beans scattered with roasted almonds and fresh herbs. A little leftover smashed potato gets another turn in the sausage fat, turning crisp and golden at the edges—the best small extra on a late-summer plate. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/pan-roasted-fatted-calf-sausage-with-blue-lake-beans-corn-butter-bean-succotash - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2024-08-12 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free ![Seared Sausage with Summer Succotash, Blue Lake Beans, and Crispy Smashed Potato](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F6ba23d001be2dc94.jpg) ## Pan-Seared Sausage Gentle covered cooking heats the sausages through before a final uncovered sear browns the casings. The rendered fat is saved for the potato. ### Ingredients - 4 large links fresh Fatted Calf pork sausages, about 1½ pounds total; choose a gluten-free variety - 1 teaspoon ghee - ⅓ cup water ### Instructions 1. Place the sausages in a wide skillet with the ghee and water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning once. 2. Uncover and let the remaining water evaporate. Reduce the heat if the casings begin to split. 3. Cook over medium heat for another 6–10 minutes, turning regularly, until evenly browned and the centers reach 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. 4. Transfer to a warm plate and rest loosely covered while frying the potato. Leave the rendered fat in the skillet. ### Notes - For poultry sausage, cook to 165°F. If using fully cooked sausage, follow its reheating directions rather than the raw-sausage timing. ## Blue Lake Green Beans with Roasted Almonds and Herbs Brief blanching keeps the beans green and tender with a little snap. Almonds provide crunch while lemon and generous herbs lighten the rich sausage. ### Ingredients - 1¼ pounds Blue Lake green beans, stem ends trimmed - ⅓ cup roasted unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped - ⅓ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley - 3 tablespoons chives, cut into short lengths - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 1 tablespoon lemon juice - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 4–6 minutes, until bright green and tender but not limp. 2. Drain thoroughly and spread briefly on a clean kitchen towel so excess water evaporates. 3. Toss the warm beans with the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper. 4. Just before serving, fold in the parsley, chives, and almonds, reserving a little of each for the top. ### Notes - If blanching ahead, chill the beans in ice water, drain, and dry thoroughly. Rewarm briefly in simmering water before dressing. ## Sweet Corn, Butter Bean, and Zucchini Succotash Sweet corn, creamy butter beans, and just-tender zucchini make a substantial summer side without a heavy sauce. Butter rounds out the vegetables; lemon and basil keep the finish fresh. ### Ingredients - 3 ears sweet corn, kernels cut from the cobs - 1½ cups cooked butter beans, drained and rinsed - 1 medium zucchini, cut into ¼-inch dice - 1 medium shallot, finely diced - 1 small clove garlic, minced - 1 tablespoon ghee - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter - ¼ cup water - ¼ cup roughly torn basil leaves - 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley - 2 teaspoons lemon juice, plus more to taste - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the ghee in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened. 2. Add the zucchini and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just tender at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 3. Add the corn, butter beans, and water. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes, folding carefully so the beans stay intact, until the corn is tender and the beans are hot. 4. Let excess water evaporate until only a little moisture remains. Lower the heat and fold in the butter to create a light, glossy coating. 5. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, basil, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper; add a little more lemon if the corn tastes very sweet. ### Notes - If using frozen lima beans instead of cooked butter beans, boil them separately according to the package directions before adding them. ## Leftover Smashed Potato Refried in Sausage Fat A cold, cooked potato holds together while its broken edges fry crisp. Using the sausage drippings carries the flavor of the main dish into this small side. ### Ingredients - 1 large leftover cooked smashed Yukon Gold potato, about 10–12 ounces, refrigerated - 1–2 tablespoons rendered sausage fat from the sausage skillet - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Divide the cold smashed potato into four rough pieces, keeping each about ½ inch thick. Pat any damp surfaces dry. 2. After removing the sausages, leave 1–2 tablespoons of rendered fat in the skillet. Remove any blackened bits and heat over medium-high until shimmering. 3. Add the potato in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 4–6 minutes, until deeply golden underneath. 4. Turn carefully and cook for another 4–6 minutes, until crisp on both sides and hot throughout. Season after tasting, since the sausage fat may already be salty. ### Notes - If the sausages render very little fat, supplement with a little ghee. - Without leftovers, boil a whole Yukon Gold potato until fork-tender, drain, gently smash, and refrigerate until cold and dry before frying. Allow about 30 minutes for boiling plus chilling time. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The vegetables cook while the sausages finish, and the potato fries last in the freshly rendered fat. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Bring the green-bean water to a boil. Trim the beans, cut the corn and zucchini, chop the herbs, and prepare the cold potato. 2. 0:15 — Start the sausages in one skillet and the succotash in a second skillet. 3. 0:25 — Blanch and drain the green beans. Dress them while warm, holding back the herbs and almonds. 4. 0:30 — Check the sausages for doneness. Finish the succotash and keep it warm over very low heat, adding its herbs just before serving. 5. 0:33 — Transfer the cooked sausages to a warm plate and fry the potato in their fat. 6. 0:43 — Fold herbs and almonds into the green beans, check all seasoning, and plate immediately. ### Notes - Timing assumes a cooked, refrigerated leftover potato and ready-cooked butter beans. ## Plating Distinct sections preserve the contrast between juicy sausage, crisp potato, creamy succotash, and herb-covered green beans. ### Instructions 1. Spoon the succotash down one side of each warm plate and arrange the green beans along the other. 2. Set a whole sausage between the two vegetables. 3. Tuck a crisp potato piece beside the sausage, keeping it out of the succotash juices. 4. Scatter the reserved almonds and herbs over the green beans and serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Separate storage protects the potato's texture and keeps the herbs from becoming soggy. Sausage and succotash also make an easy next-day skillet meal. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Use sausage, succotash, and green beans within 3–4 days; count the potato's storage time from its original cooking date. 2. Slice the sausage and reheat with the succotash and a splash of water until steaming hot throughout, reaching 165°F. 3. Warm the green beans briefly or serve them cold with fresh lemon and additional herbs. 4. Recrisp potato pieces in a 425°F oven for 8–12 minutes rather than microwaving. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.