Yes, breakfast sausage! It's good and cheap and easy to turn into a delicious dinner. I came up with the recipe after I bought a marked-down package of turkey breakfast sausages--for breakfast--then discovered that I had grapes in the refrigerator drawer that had definitely passed their prime and needed to be used or pitched. As I'm not keen on wasting food, and I'm not a food snob, I went for the "use" option. The result--Turkey Sausages With Grapes--was incredibly good. The dish is sweet, savory, and full of flavor. It's also low in fat and simple to do. I like to serve the sausages and grapes with polenta (or cornmeal mush, if we aren't being fancy, here). The polenta is great for capturing the sauce, and the polenta's smooth creaminess contrasts nicely with the sweet-savory flavor of the grapes and sausage. So, use your breakfast sausages and don't worry that it's dinner time. Enjoy!
Turkey Sausages With Grapes -- Serves 4
2-3 teaspoons of canola or olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
16 ounces of turkey breakfast sausages (use the mild sausages, not the hot/spicy)
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or half a dozen fresh thyme springs, if you have them
3 cups of red seedless grapes, washed and drained
2 cups of chicken broth (or water and 2 teaspoons of chicken "Better Than Bullion)
1-2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley, optional
In a large skillet or chef's pan heat the oil over medium-high heat until it's hot and then add the onion. Saute the onion a few minutes, then add the turkey sausages and saute them with the onion for five or six minutes. Add the grapes and continue sauteing everything for a few minutes, mashing the grapes a little as you do so. Add the broth (or water and bullion), the Dijon, and the red wine and stir everything well. Bring the mixture to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer, and partially cover the pan. Let the mixture cook for 10-15 minutes, removing the cover to stir it periodically and mash the grapes a little. Let the broth reduce to about one-third its original volume and turn off the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle on some parsley, if you like, and serve the sausages, grapes, and sauce over polenta, rice, pasta, or potatoes.
Easy Polenta (Mush)
4 cups of water
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of cornmeal
Milk, butter, and Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Gradually add in the cornmeal, a little at a time, while whisking the mixture constantly. Turn down the heat as the mixture bubbles up (beware of hot bubbles bursting) and continue to whisk. Cover the pot, turn down the heat to medium-low, and let the mixture cook for 20-25 minutes, whisking it periodically, until it is very thick. Turn off the heat and whisk in milk, butter, and Parmesan cheese to taste.
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