This book is a compilation of recipes chosen from the last decade of The Best American Recipe. There has been some discussion of Sausage and grapes on the board and Epi has a recipe I had clipped about a year ago, so when I saw this published in such rarified company, I had to make it. It would also qualify as a 5-ingredient recipe, lol.
It's delicious, definitely a keeper. I used Whole Foods sausages and it was a wee bit dry, I may have erred by overcooking it slightly, as I'm used to cooking Italian sausage a little longer. However, I think the WF sausage is a little less fatty than some, one reason I like it. I served it with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and the above mentioned sauteed swiss chard. So easy and so, so good.
Roasted Sausages and Grapes
1-1/2 pounds hot Italian sausage, cut into 3-inch lengths
1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, cut into 3-inch lengths
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/2 pounds red seedless grapes, stemmed (6 to 7 cups)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Prick the sausages with the tip of a knife or a metal skewer and add them to the boiling water. Boil the sausages gently for 8 minutes, then drain them and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large roasting pan over low heat. Add the grapes to the pan and toss to coat them with the butter. With tongs transfer the parboiled sausages to the pan and push them down into the grapes so that the sausages will not brown too quickly.
Roast the sausages and grapes in the preheated oven, turning the sausages once, until the grapes are soft and the sausages have browned, 20 to 25 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages and grapes to a heated serving platter.
Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over a medium-high flame and add the balsamic vinegar. Stir to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan and cook the vinegar and juices until they are thick and syrupy.
Pour the sauce over the sausages and grapes and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
It's delicious, definitely a keeper. I used Whole Foods sausages and it was a wee bit dry, I may have erred by overcooking it slightly, as I'm used to cooking Italian sausage a little longer. However, I think the WF sausage is a little less fatty than some, one reason I like it. I served it with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and the above mentioned sauteed swiss chard. So easy and so, so good.
Roasted Sausages and Grapes
1-1/2 pounds hot Italian sausage, cut into 3-inch lengths
1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, cut into 3-inch lengths
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/2 pounds red seedless grapes, stemmed (6 to 7 cups)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Prick the sausages with the tip of a knife or a metal skewer and add them to the boiling water. Boil the sausages gently for 8 minutes, then drain them and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large roasting pan over low heat. Add the grapes to the pan and toss to coat them with the butter. With tongs transfer the parboiled sausages to the pan and push them down into the grapes so that the sausages will not brown too quickly.
Roast the sausages and grapes in the preheated oven, turning the sausages once, until the grapes are soft and the sausages have browned, 20 to 25 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages and grapes to a heated serving platter.
Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over a medium-high flame and add the balsamic vinegar. Stir to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan and cook the vinegar and juices until they are thick and syrupy.
Pour the sauce over the sausages and grapes and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings