It’s been really hot and humid here the last few days with no immediate end in sight, so that means finding dinner solutions that won’t overheat the whole house and make me a pile of sweat in the kitchen. it also means using the grill more and breaking the slow cooker out to do some cooking. For this particular meal, the grill came in handy for a very simple meal that I picked up from Bobby Flay on the Food Network. While this dish can work as a great party appetizer, we actually had it for dinner and it was quite filling.
Grilled Sausages with Grilled Shallot Relish with Ricotta and Toasted Baguette
1 pound Italian sweet sausage links
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 large shallots
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
2 baguettes, grilled
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling. Brush the sausages with some of the vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill, with the cover closed, until golden brown, slightly charred and just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the sausages to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing,
While the sausages are grilling, halve the shallots, leaving the skin on, and toss with a few tablespoons each of the vegetable oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put them on the grill and cook until charred and slightly softened. Cool the shallots slightly, then remove the skins and chop.
Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a saute pan on the grates of the grill until it begins to shimmer. Add the chopped shallots, remaining balsamic vinegar, honey, thyme and red pepper flakes and simmer, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
Arrange the cut sausage on a platter with a bowl of the fresh ricotta cheese, the shallot relish and the toasted bread. Serve the bread topped with a dollop of the ricotta, a few pieces of sausage and a spoonful of the relish, drizzled with honey and olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This was a great meal or can make a great snack. We all loved the shallot relish and I can easily see using that on other dishes, either pork, beef or chicken. Even just having some of that alone on a piece of toasted baguette would be good for me. It was plenty filling with a simple side salad as a meal or as I said, I think it would make a great appetizer for a party as a buffet dish or for any barbecue. I would make this one again for sure.
That’s all I have for today. I do have some pork in the slow cooker today to make some slow cooker pulled pork sliders and a recipe for a no mayo coleslaw, so check back tomorrow for that one and see if you like it. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day, try to stay cool and enjoy your meal!
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