Recipe

Baked Sausage with Fennel & Onions

This is hearty winter comfort food at its very best, adapted from Margot Henderson and simplified for Chowguys. The addition of polenta makes it a delicious single dish meal.

ingredients

  • 3 red onions , peeled and cut into wedges
  • 2 bulbs fennel , cored and cut into wedges
  • 2 Cloves Garlic , minced
  • half cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 8-10 sweet Italian pork and fennel sausages
  • half bottle red wine
  • 14 Ounces can chopped tomatoes
  • kosher salt and grind of black pepper , to taste
  • fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, rosemary and bay leaf, tied together with kitchen twine in a bundle
  • package of imported Italian instant polenta (Colavita is a good brand)

prep / directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Use a large pan or casserole that can also be put in the oven. Heat half the olive oil in the pan or casserole over medium heat and brown the sausages on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the sausages to a side plate, reduce the heat to low medium and add more oil if needed. Cook the onion and fennel wedges and garlic for about 10 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add red wine and tomatoes and bring to a good simmer 1-2 minutes. Nestle in the browned sausages and bundle of herbs, salt and pepper, and place in the oven. Bake in the oven 1 hour, then turn up heat to 375 degrees and cook 10 minutes more. Sauce should be rich and sausages richly browned. Prepare the polenta according to package directions. Use milk instead of water; add a pad of butter and grated Parmesan cheese for a richer dish. Serve the sausages, vegetables and sauce over the polenta. Yumm!

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