Jamaican Jerk Chicken Hash

I never would be able to make a dish like this without kosher sausage maker Jack's Gourmet (Thanks, Guys!). With their incredibly pungent, spicy Jamaican jerk chicken sausages, I was able to make a flavorful, filling weeknight meal with a red meat feel, without using any red meat. Jerk flavoring is not a common flavor seen in Jewish homes, but my thought on this is that it's only because it's not marketed too much to the kosher consumer. Jamaican jerk seasoning, like many seasoning mixes, is herby and spicy, with undertones of things I like but can't fully identify, like nutmeg, cloves, allspice and chives. This hash is stuffed with filling and nutritious fiber (obviously) and also has little added fat. It is Weight Watchers friendly and comes in at approximately 6-7 WW points plus per serving. My recipe yields four generous servings.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, sliced 2 links Jack's Gourmet Jamaican jerk chicken sausages, minced 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked and shredded (or use 10-12 oz. of any type of leftover chicken) 1 15.5 ounce can baked beans, in sauce (I like Heinz Vegetarian Baked Beans, one of the first products to carry the OU Union Symbol in America!) 1/2 cup brown or red lentils 2 cups boiling water 2 tsp granulated garlic 2 tsp chili powder 1 tbsp kosher salt (or to taste) 2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

Procedure: Sweat the onion in the olive oil over medium high heat until browned, about five minutes. Add the chopped chicken sausage and shredded, cooked chicken thighs and sear lightly, just to get some color. Next add the baked beans and the spices. Taste and correct seasoning. Finally, add the lentils and the hot water and cover with a tight fitting lid and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Serve immediately hot, but it's amazing the next day too as a cold leftover. To add more heft to the hash, you may also add a can of small white beans, or a can of cooked chickpeas. This will stretch the dish to serve more people and will not affect overall flavor.