Andouille Smoked Sausage in Red Gravy

This dish is from the Cajun areas of Louisiana. The sausage and gravy are spicy with cayenne peppers. If you want it less spicy, use a mild sausage and decrease the cayenne or leave it out completely. Serve this dish of Andouille over rice covered in the red gravy.

6 tb Unsalted butter
1/2 c Diced green peppers
1 1/2 lb Andouille smoked sausage, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 tsp Minced garlic
8 tsp Tomato sauce
3 c Onions, diced
1/4 c Chopped parsley
6 1/2 c Beef stock
1 c Chopped green onion tops
1 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
3 c Cooked rice
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 c Chopped celery

cooked rice for serving

1. Melt butter in a heavy pot or dutch oven. Add the sausage, cover and cook without stirring about 7 minutes.
2. Turn over and sprinkle 2 c. of onions on top. Cover and cook another 7 minutes.
3. There should be dark brown sediment on the bottom of the pan. Add 3/4 c. of stock and scrape the pan bottom to get all the flavor incorporated. Add pepper and salt, stirring and scraping.
4. Cover and cook 2 minutes, stirring once. Add celery, green peppers and garlic. Cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring once.
5. Add tomato sauce and cook uncovered 5 minutes, stirring and scrapping the bottom occasionally. Add 1/2 c. onions. Cook 8 minutes until large puddles of oil have broken out and tomato mixture is thick. Stir only if sticking.
6. Add parsley and 1/2 c. of the green onions. Add 3-1/4 c. more stock and scrape. Cook 20 minutes until liquid is thick dark red gravy. Stir occasionally.
7. Stir in remaining stock and onions. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring frequently, about 14 minutes, until gravy is noticeably thicker but still juicy. Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.