Description
Roasting sausage and grapes creates a surprisingly elegant main dish from Ina Garten’s repertoire. Italian sausages mingle with sweet grapes, releasing rich caramelized flavors that invite comfortable dining with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) Italian hot sausage
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) Italian sweet sausage
- 5 to 6 cups (2 lbs / 907 g) red or green seedless grapes, stems removed
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) unsalted butter
- 2 to 4 tbsps (30 to 60 ml) dry red wine, preferably Chianti
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) balsamic vinegar
- Fresh Focaccia or Ciabatta bread, to serve
Instructions
- Preparation: Ignite the oven to a scorching 500°F (260°C), positioning the rack centrally for uniform heat distribution.
- Parboiling: Immerse sausages in boiling water, simmering for 8 minutes to render excess fat and partially cook, ensuring tender interior and crisp exterior.
- Grape Foundation: In a large roasting pan, melt butter and introduce grapes, coating them thoroughly to amplify their inherent sweetness and develop a rich flavor profile.
- Wine Reduction: Stream wine into the pan, stirring continuously until the liquid condenses by half, creating an intense, complex base for the dish.
- Sausage Integration: Transfer parboiled sausages into the pan, nestling them among the grapes, pressing gently to guarantee comprehensive caramelization and even cooking.
- Roasting Transformation: Slide the pan into the oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating sausages midway to achieve a golden-brown exterior and burst grapes that release their luscious juices.
- Flavor Intensification: Remove the pan to the stovetop, introducing balsamic vinegar and scraping browned fragments to create a glossy, syrupy sauce that encapsulates the dish’s robust flavors.
- Plating Finale: Delicately transfer sausages and caramelized grapes to a serving platter, drizzling the reduced sauce generously. Accompany with crusty bread to absorb the magnificent pan juices.
Notes
- Parboil with Purpose: Simmering sausages briefly before roasting helps render excess fat, ensuring crispy exteriors and preventing greasy results.
- Grape Selection Matters: Choose ripe, firm grapes that can withstand high-heat roasting without completely disintegrating, creating a perfect sauce base.
- Caramelization Technique: Rotating sausages midway through roasting guarantees even browning and prevents burning, developing rich, deep flavors.
- Sauce Secrets: Reducing pan drippings with balsamic vinegar creates a luxurious, glossy sauce that elevates the entire dish from simple to sophisticated.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1100 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg