Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp Vegetable or Rapeseed Oil
  • 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (divided)
  • 5 lbs Smoked Kielbasa or quality pre-cooked smoked sausage, cut into ½ inch thick coins
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Dried Marjoram (or dried Oregano)
  • ½ tsp Smoked Paprika (optional, for depth)
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt (plus more to taste)
  • ¼ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 (16 oz) packet Frozen Potato and Cheddar Perogies (Do not thaw)
  • 2 Tbsp Sour Cream or Crème Fraîche (optional, for swirl)
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Chives, finely chopped

Instructions:

  1. Slice the sausage, onions, and pepper. Mince the garlic. Heat the vegetable oil and 1 Tbsp butter in the large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the sausage coins in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned and crispy edges appear. Remove the browned sausage and set aside, leaving any rendered fat and oil in the skillet.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onions and peppers to the residual fat in the skillet. Sauté gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and starting to caramelise. Scrape up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Add the minced garlic, marjoram, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Push the onion/pepper mixture to one side of the skillet, creating a space in the middle for the perogies.
  5. Add the remaining 3 Tbsp of unsalted butter to the empty side of the skillet. Once the butter is melted, add the frozen perogies.
  6. Cook the perogies, flipping every 3–4 minutes, for a total of 8–10 minutes. They should be fully heated through and develop a lovely golden-brown crust.
  7. Once the perogies are browned and tender, return the reserved smoked sausage to the skillet with the vegetables. Toss everything gently together to coat evenly and heat through for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper).
  8. Remove the skillet from the heat. Dollop a spoonful of sour cream or crème fraîche into the middle of the mixture (if using). Garnish generously with fresh chives before serving straight from the skillet.