ITALIAN SAUSAGE PT. 2
When I last left you I was celebrating success of my first sausage making experience. Within twenty minutes of leaving my friend's house I had distributed several parcels to hungry friends at the pub as impromptu Christmas gifts. The next night I was ready to cook my own. I wanted to pair the sausage with something different from a typical red sauce or peppers and onions. I found this recipe for sausage with roasted cabbage and apples but opted to do the whole thing on the stovetop in my cast iron skillet. The tartness of the apples and acidity of the red wine vingegar offered a lovely balance to the richness of the sausage. I also used some fennel that I had sitting in the fridge, a nice addition.
ITALIAN SAUSAGE WITH BRAISED CABBAGE, APPLES AND FENNEL
4 Italian sausage links
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
1 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 head fennel, thinly sliced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Crusty bread for serving
Heat olive oil in cast iron skillet over medium heat. Brown sausages and cook through, about 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice your apples, cabbage, onion and fennel.
Once the sausage is cooked through, remove from skillet and set aside. Discard all but about 1.5 tbsp of fat leftover from cooking sausage, then throw in the apples, onions and fennel. Cook until onion and fennel have browned and softened slightly.
Then add the cabbage.
Stir cabbage and toss with other vegetables as it wilts. Sprinkle in some kosher salt and ground pepper, then add red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup water. Turn heat down to medium-low and let simmer, partially covered, until cabbage is soft, about 15 minutes.
Look at that color!
Toss sausages back in skillet with cabbage to heat up, then serve with buttered bread.
This was a very hearty and satisfying meal, enhanced by the knowledge that the sausages were made from scratch and with love. Over the next few days I received texts from the friends who received sausage gifts and everyone did something different; one person did sausage and peppers, another with pretzel buns. The rest are in the freezer waiting for future enjoyment.
I hope everyone had the happiest holidays and is ready for an exciting new year! If you have any suggestions for cooking projects I should try, please leave them in the comments. I'd love some inspiration for new challenges!