Homemade Sausage

Boredom can have a myriad of effects on people.  Many people choose to read a book or call a friend.  I often will wander through grocery stores.  The thought process goes something like this:

"Hhhhmmmmmm, leftover minestrone and kalamata olive bread for dinner.  I'm sure that before I froze it last time I inevitably picked out all the delicious sausage as a snack.

"I need to get some Italian sausage.

"Arrrggghhhhh, I hate Johnsonville brand! It's tasteless AND has corn syrup in it.  And it's 5.99/lb.

"Hhhmmmmm, pork shoulder is 1.99/lb and I would know exactly what's going into my fantastic sausages.  Yeahhhh! I get to taste fennel again!

"Hhhmmmmm, I mos def do not want to drive all the way over to a specialty meat market for casings, especially since they carry sausage I like anyway and could just buy it.

"Wait a minute, true I am at a crappy Mexican grocery store but I've noticed that the butcher counter here makes their own Chorizo. Now I have something to do for the afternoon."

Yes, that is the thought process that led me to making sausage.  And yes, I happen to own a meat grinder and the sausage stuffing attachment to the Kitchen Aid which I'd previously never used.  (The sausage stuffer, not the grinder.  I use the grinder every time I make hamburgers.)  And yes, I also happen to always have paprika, cayenne, crushed red pepper, fennel & anise seeds, and Italian herbs. Always. I procured a 4 lb. pork shoulder, one full length of casings and I was on my way.

Here's the recipe I used:  http://tinyurl.com/6zdcpcq

It was indeed fantastic and worth the labor.  I was too lazy to go back to the store, but I left out the red wine and parsley and it was still really, really good.  Give it a try next time you're bored and have already read the New Yorker for the week.  I think some homemade lamb and blueberry breakfast sausages are in my near future.

Brussels sprouts . . . so hot right now.

Oh how I despise myself for being hyper-aware of foodie trends and such.  Alas the newest culinary fad is the Brussels sprouts.  A few years ago, Americans started eating bacon again after a long history of eating bacon and then not eating bacon, and then eating a lot of bacon ala Atkins, to throttling back on the bacon a bit, to hopefully now eating bacon moderately, but actually still using way too much bacon in everything including on top of salted caramel donuts, cupcakes, candy, cake, etc. And I digress.  But what I meant to say was, Americans stopped steaming the Brussels sprouts and started preparing them in the traditional French style with lardons--French term for bacon cut into rectangular blocks. Generally this is accomplished by halving the Brussels sprouts, cubing the bacon, tossing with olive oil, salt, & pepper and throwing them into a hot oven on a cookie sheet until everything is marvelously crispy with browned edges.

But today instead, I dive into the simmering trend of raw Brussels sprout salads that I've been seeing lately.  You'll need one special piece of equipment for this salad--a Benriner mandolin for shaving vegetables.  Don't buy one of those massive expensive stainless steel ones from the kitchen store. Try to pick up one at an Asian grocery store where it should be $20 and you'll use it for a myriad of purposes.  And don't say I didn't warn you; you will inevitably lob off some fingertips getting used to the darned contraption.

RAW BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD W/ WALNUT OIL VINAIGRETTE

• Brussels sprouts
• Honeycrisp apple
• Bacon
• Shallots
• Pecans
• Golden Raisins

WALNUT OIL VINAIGRETTE

• 2/3 c. Roasted Walnut Oil
• 1/3 c. red or white wine vinegar
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 t. each of salt, pepper, & Herbs de Provence

Saute the bacon and shallots together until the bacon is crisp and the shallots are softened.  Remove from heat.  Shave the Brussels sprouts and Honeycrisp apples into a large bowl.  Add the bacon, shallots, golden raisins and vinaigrette to taste.  Don't add so much dressing that there is a pool of vinaigrette at the bottom of the bowl.  Taste for seasoning and add vinegar and/or salt to taste.  Just before serving, crumble pecans over the top of the salad.  Serve with bread for a lunch or along side seared salmon for dinner.  Bon Appetit.  (Sorry, you know that I almost never specify exact amounts so you're going to have to wing it depending on how many people or how hungry they are. However, just a little hint, the salad should be 75% Brussels sprouts.) Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that some crumbled blue cheese on top might be pretty delicious as well.