Italian Sausages with Onions, Fennel and Grapes
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When I saw this great recipe from Anna Rossi, I knew I just had to make it! I watch her Chef’s Pantry episodes every Friday and am glad I didn’t miss this one! I love watching her. She is so energetic, you just want to dig in and start cooking.
I will say, the combination of ingredients in this recipe did seem a little unusual, but after I watched her cook it, I knew I had to try it. All I have to say is HOOOOLY…. Holy delicious!
The flavors in this dish are so complimentary to each other! Sausage, fennel, fennel seed, onions, grapes, red wine and balsamic. Oh and don’t forget the fresh rosemary and thyme! On my first bite I loved it!
Every year I buy a huge Rosemary plant. I don’t get to use anywhere near all of it by the end of the season, but I just can’t resist running my hands through this fragrant plant!
My Thyme plant grows bigger and bigger every year. I usually have to trim it to a manageable size to keep it a good size.
It’s great to have fresh herbs at your back door. In the growing months, I just go outside and pick what I need. The Rosemary plant lasts until at least December in my area. I have had it go into January if its mild. The Thyme plant comes back every year. If you can believe it, I have gone out and cleared the snow from on top of it, and it’s still green under the snow! 
The grapes compliment the red wine, the fennel and fennel seed compliment the sausage, and well onions compliment everything.
And did I mention how easy this is to make? 
Cutting up your veggies takes a few minutes, saute veggies while the sausage is par boiling. Throw the sausage in with the veggies, add grapes wine and balsamic. Add rosemary and thyme and roast for about 20 minutes. (I usually throw the par boiled sausages on my char grill to give them a little browned color before throwing them into the veggies. You can also wait and see how they do in the oven. If they don’t brown enough you can brown them separately and put back in with veggies.
I have also altered this recipe by eliminating the par boiling the sausages and just grilling on the grill.
Next time you’re making sausages, try this version. I know you will like as much as I do. I do like the coloring of the green grapes presentation wise, but red grapes are great too. 
Italian Sausages with Onions. Fennel and Grapes
Ingredients
- 1-2 lbs Sweet Italian sausage
- 3 Tbsp Butter
- 2 medium Red or Yellow Onions, sliced 1/4"
- 1 bulb fennel, cored, quartered and thinly sliced vertically
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 5 cups fresh seedless grapes, red or green
- 1/3 cup sweet red wine suitable for drinking
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (or 1/2 tsp fennel pollen
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425*.
- Parboil your sausage in a medium pot for 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pan (stove top friendly and oven safe), on the stovetop over medium-high heat, melt the butter and saute the onion and fennel for 3-4 minutes until some nice caramelization begins to form and they are slightly tender.
- Add the thyme and rosemary sprig to the pan plus grapes and parboiled sausage. Gently toss the mixture around with a spatula. And simmer on the stovetop for about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with red wine and balsamic vinegar.
- Add a pinch or two of kosher salt and cracked pepper along with the fennel seed.
- Place the entire pan in the hot oven and roast for about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until grapes are cooked through but not yet withered and the sausage has nice color.