Baked Italian Sausage with Harvest Grapes and Thyme
Salsiccia e Uva- 8-10 (8-10) celery stocks, cut diagonally into bite-size pieces, including the fanned out ends, for visual effect
- 1 (1) medium red onion (or any onion will be delicious), halved and thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp (2 Tbsp) olive oil
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) pepper
- 1.5 lb (700 g) seedless grapes, red, white or mixed, (firm oval grapes are ideal), plus more raw grapes to garnish
- 8 (8) fresh Italian pork sausages (not spicy)
- 4 (4) bay leaves (one per person)
- 1 bundle (1 bundle) thyme (20-40 stems), leaves stripped from stems, plus a few whole stems to garnish
KEY: pinch (⅛ tsp) | tsp = teaspoon (5ml) | Tbsp = Tablespoon (15ml)
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
- Toss the celery and onion in a rectangle roasting pan with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the oven to get about a 10 minute head start on cooking while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Crush some grapes with the back of a wooden spoon (see notes) to help them release their juices while cooking, or cut in half. Add the grapes to the roasting pan, including some on the stems, for visual effect.
- Pierce the sausages a few times with a toothpick to allow steam to escape, then lay them on the grapes and nestle the bay leaves closely around the sausages.
- Sprinkle with thyme, including a few whole stems, and a dash of salt and pepper. Return the pan to the oven.
- Roast uncovered for 25 minutes, then turn the sausages to brown on the other side for another 25 minutes. (The minimum cooked temperature of the sausage should be 160°F/71.1°C) If sausages are not golden to your liking, turn the oven on broil for a few minutes until they achieve a deep golden color. (Carefully watch them the whole time you have the oven on broil—they can go from beautiful to burnt fast.)
- To serve, garnish each plate with a bay leaf, stems of thyme, and a stem of grapes from the roasting pan.
Preparing Grapes: How many you crush, or halve, depends on the kind of grapes you are using. If using firm grapes, such as most oval varieties, crush around ¼ of them. If using juicy grapes, such as the large Globe variety, you need only crush a few, or leave them all whole.
Best Way to Crush Grapes - I've found the best way is on a cutting board with the back of a wooden spoon. With the palm of your hand on top of the spoon, gently press down on each grape in a front to back motion. Make sure to angle the spoon away from you to protect from grape splatters.
Reheating: This dish is excellent reheated in the oven the next day. Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) in its juices. If needed, crush or add a few grapes, or a dash of wine.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 972kcal (49%) | Carbohydrates: 36g (12%) | Protein: 34g (68%) | Fat: 78g (120%) | Saturated Fat: 26g (163%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 37g | Cholesterol: 170mg (57%) | Sodium: 2230mg (97%) | Potassium: 971mg (28%) | Fiber: 3g (13%) | Sugar: 28g (31%) | Vitamin A: 261IU (5%) | Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): 1mg (67%) | Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 1mg (59%) | Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 8mg (40%) | Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): 1mg (50%) | Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): 2µg (33%) | Vitamin C: 14mg (17%) | Vitamin E: 1mg (7%) | Vitamin K: 32µg (30%) | Calcium: 82mg (8%) | Folate (Vitamin B9): 32µg (8%) | Iron: 4mg (22%) | Magnesium: 51mg (13%) | Selenium: 56µg (80%) | Zinc: 4mg (27%)
Please keep in mind that nutritional info is an estimate and varies according to ingredients used.