Sausages And Grapes With Cheesy Polenta Food

CHEESY POLENTA WITH GRILLED SAUSAGES AND SUMMER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF: Butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish.
• Bake the polenta: In the baking dish, stir the water, polenta, cubed butter, and salt together. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in the half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes longer, or until the polenta is thick and porridge-like. Turn on the broiler and broil for 1 to 3 minutes, or just until the cheese bubbles and browns.
• While the polenta is cooking, heat the grill: For charcoal grills, fill a grill chimney with charcoal and light it. When the coals are hot (they should be covered with a layer of fine gray ash) empty the coals into the grill and push them to one side of the grill to make higher heat and lower heat cooking zones. Set the grate in place and cover the grill. Preheat the grate for 5 minutes. For gas grills, heat one burner to high and one to low (225F). Fold a small piece of paper towel to make a 2-inch square, and pour a few tablespoons of oil into a shallow bowl. With tongs, dip the square into the oil, and brush the grates.
• When the grill is ready, cook the vegetables: Place the sausages on the grill and cook, turning often, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are browned and cooked through (150F is the ideal internal temperature.) Move them on the cooler side of the grill if they brown too quickly but are still raw inside. As soon as they reach the desired temperature, transfer them to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep them warm. Brush the zucchini slices, summer squash slices, and tomato halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini and summer squash on each side until the slices are tender and there are grill marks on the sides. Grill the tomatoes, with the cut sides down, until they how grill marks and are warm but not falling apart. Use the cool side of the grill to moderate the heat if necessary.
• To serve: Place a spoonful of polenta on each plate. Top with a sausage, a tomato half, and a few slices of zucchini and summer squash.

CHEESY POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over a medium-high heat and cook the onion and garlic for a few mins. Stir in the sausages, breaking them up into small pieces as you go, and cook for another 8-9 mins. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, stock, purée and most of the rosemary. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 8-10 mins or until the mixture is thickened. Season to taste.
• Meanwhile, make up the polenta following pack instructions. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, with some seasoning. Spoon the polenta onto 4 plates, then top with the ragout and a sprinkling of the remaining rosemary.

TUSCAN GRAPES AND SAUSAGES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Place sausage links in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until no longer pink and some fat has been rendered, 20-25 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-in. slices., Meanwhile, remove grape stems; place grapes and garlic in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Add 6 tablespoons butter; toss to coat. Top with sausage slices. Bake until sausage is browned, 15-20 minutes, stirring once., Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to a serving dish. Keep warm. Transfer cooking juices to a small saucepan; add balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat. Stir in remaining butter; cook until slightly thickened. Drizzle over sausage and grapes.

ROASTED SAUSAGES AND GRAPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Parboil the sausages in water to cover for 8 minutes to rid them of excess fat.
• Melt the butter in a large heatproof roasting pan, add the grapes, and toss to coat. Over moderately high heat add the wine. Stir with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until the wine has reduced by half.
• Using tongs, transfer the parboiled sausages to the roasting pan and push them down in the grapes so the sausages will not brown too quickly. Roast in the oven, turning the sausages once, until the grapes are soft and the sausages have browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over a medium-high heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the roasting pan, and allow the vinegar and juices to reduce until they are thick and syrupy. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages and grapes to a serving platter.
• Pour the sauce over the sausages and grapes and serve immediately, accompanied with fresh bread.

CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan heat oil and butter. Add garlic and saute just until golden. Add stock, half and half and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Add cornmeal slowly, stirring continuously. Reduce heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for about 20 minutes while stirring regularly. Mixture will become creamy and thick.
• Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cheeses and serve immediately

STICKY PAN-ROASTED SAUSAGES WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan set over a medium heat, tip in the sausages, then cook for 10 mins, turning every so often. Stir in the onions, then leave to cook for 5 mins more until the sausages are browned and the onions softened.
• Tip in the garlic, fennel seeds and grapes and cook for 5 more mins, stirring often, until the grapes are starting to soften. Pour over the vinegar and swirl around the pan. Cook for a few mins more until the onions are sticky and the sausages cooked through. Serve with soft polenta or mashed potato.

SAUSAGES WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• Place sausages in a 10- or 12-inch skillet, and turn heat to medium. Cook sausages, turning from time to time, about 15 minutes. When they are brown all over, prick each sausage in a few places with a thin-bladed knife and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Remove sausages to a warm platter. If more than a tablespoon or two of fat remains in the pan, remove excess. Add grapes, and turn heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the grapes collapse. Add vinegar or lemon juice, stir, and turn off the heat. Serve sausages nestled in grapes.