COOKING FRESH SAUSAGES

On the stove, cook fresh sausages from room temperature in a small amount of olive oil or grapeseed oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or on the grill for about 6 or 7 minutes each side, until evenly browned and cooked through (165°F). On the grill, burn a a fruitwood or hardwood fire down to low coals, then place the sausages to the side of the center of heat. Don’t use brickettes or lighter fluid, as they lend a nasty chemical flavor. Ideally, the grill surface
should be nine inches above the heat. The sausages are ready to eat when their juices run clear, and the sausages are firm to the touch (again, 165°F).

Sausages are delicious with arugula salad, pickled onions, or roasted rosemary potatoes. Uncased, Sweet Italian or Spicy Calabrian sausages are perfect with Cavatelli and rapini (squeeze them out of the casing, crumble and fry the sausage paste before adding to the pasta). They’re equally delicious with white beans and greens. My favorite is on toasted ciabatta with vinegary grilled red peppers, serranos, and onions.

Kept in a cold (below 40°F) refrigerator fresh sauages will last for 7 days, and will freeze well for up to one month.

With the Italian sausages I love to drink Chianti Classico or Rosso di Tosana and always a young one; Côtes du Rhône; or a light-bodied Languedoc, Côtes du Vivarais or Roussillon red from Collioure.

Fresh sausages