Enjoy these succulent Roasted Sausages and Grapes in fall when grapes are at their peak. It's wonderful served with fresh bread and cheese, or over a bed of creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.
Article courtesy of Alison Needham, A Girl Defloured
Fall in California means autumn pluots, persimmons and apples. Heirloom tomatoes still ripen on the vine, as do butternut squash and pumpkins. It’s still warm, but somehow the sun seems more golden and filtered. The leaves begin to change from deep green, to pale yellows, oranges, and browns. Fall in California brings the crush, a frenzied season for winemakers. And the farmers markets fill up with exciting varieties of grapes for eating, plump and rich in both color and flavor.
We’ve always enjoyed grapes by the bowlful during this time, served in picnic lunches, or alongside a cheese platter. But it was only recently that I discovered the exquisite nature of a roasted grape. Like most things, their flavor is deepened by roasting, and their texture, once a sharp pop between the teeth, becomes succulent and yielding. Roasted grapes are a beautiful thing, indeed. But grapes roasted in rendered fat from juicy Italian sausages, are another matter altogether.
We served these roasted sausages and grapes with slices of warm, gluten-free baguette and soft goat brie. They would be equally wonderful over a bed of creamy polenta or mashed potatoes. Either way, this is a dish not to be missed. The best grapes, like all good, local produce, are a seasonal affair. Or in this case, a seasonal love affair. Swoon.
Love roasted grapes? You'll love this Roasted Grape Crostini with Rosemary And Pecans too.
Roasted Sausages and Grapes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds organic, seedless grapes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds spicy Italian sausage links, uncooked
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Remove the grapes from the stems, and toss grapes with the olive oil in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and quickly brown the sausages on all sides. Place the sausages over the grapes in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle with thyme and drizzle with the white wine. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the sausages half way through.
- Remove the sausages to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour the grapes and any drippings into a medium saucepan set over medium high heat. Add the balsamic vinegar, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pour grapes over the sausages and serve immediately.
Maureen says
I'm not sure why you need to brown the sausages first? They will brown up in the roasting process. Removing that step would save time and mess.
pam says
Could you make this printer friendly or give us a way to pin to pinterest? thank you 🙂
BBullock says
Absolutely delicious- the roasted grapes were such a nice pop of surprise of sweetness in the mouth. Put over mashed potatoes...this was a wow dish! Thank you.