Sausage with Roasted Red Grapes and Soft Polenta

I love the Italian-Style Field Roast sausages so I am eager to find traditional "sausage" recipes and give them my own spin. The grapes in this recipe develop a wonderful sweetness while they slowly roast in the oven, pop and burst all their juices. Later on, those juices are combined with tangy balsamic vinegar and reduced until sweet.

Vegan sausage roasted until crusty with bursted sweet red grapes, fresh rosemary and fleur de sel, served over soft polenta with herbs and caramelized shallots.

Sausage with Roasted Red Grapes
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
4 Field Roast Italian Sausages
1 1/2 cup red grapes
1 big sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp fleur de sel
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tbl vegetable broth
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425.
Use a saute pan that you can also put in the oven to save on dishes.
Heat the olive oil over high heat and quickly sear the sausages to create a crust, 4 minutes.
Add the grapes, whole rosemary sprig, salt and pepper and pop in the oven. Roast for 20 minutes.
Bring out of the oven and take the sausages out of the pan. Put the pan on the stove top over medium-high heat and add the vegetable broth and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 3 minutes. Pour the grapes and sauce over the sausages.

Soft Polenta
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbl roughly chopped fresh rosemary
3 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes

In a small pot, saute the shallot and garlic in 1 tbl of oil over medium heat until soft and fragrant, 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and toss to combine. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. While whisking, slowly stream in the cornmeal. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook and whisk occassionally for 8 minutes until the polenta has thickened. Taste to season and add the remaining 2 tbl of oil.

Sausage & Black Eyed Peas with Spooned Cornbread and Tabasco Remoulade

Black eyed peas, green peppers and sausage simmered in a thick tomato-garlic sauce with big chunks of cornbread dropped on top before baking. Served with a tangy Tabasco remoulade.

Sausage & Black Eyed Peas

2 tbl canola oil
4 vegan italian sausage links, cut into medium sized chunks
1/2 white onion, small dice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 green pepper, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-1 jalapeno,seeded and minced
1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
1-15oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tbl chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350.
Heat a large saute pan with oil and brown the sausage. Set aside on a plate.
Saute the onions and green peppers in the same pan and season with salt and pepper. Saute the vegetables for 7 minutes until the green peppers start to soften and the onions have browned. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute for 3 minutes more until the garlic starts to become fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes, peas and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.
Add the sausage and cilantro into the mixture and transfer all to a 8x8 baking dish. Assemble the cornbread.

Cornbread Crisp

1/4 cup earth balance vegan butter, melted
1/3 cup organic sugar
1 1/2 tsp ener-g egg replacer with 2 tbl warm water, whisked together
1/2 cup oat milk with 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, medium ground

In a medium sized bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Add the egg replacer slurry and the oat milk mixture. Whisk.
In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients. Combine the dry into the wet and whisk until smooth.
Pour the cornbread mixture on top of the sausage stew and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the cornbread has browned. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Tabasco Remoulade

2 tbl spicy stone ground mustard
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbl apple cider vinegar
2 tbl veganaise
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped green onion
1/4 cup minced celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, paprika, tabasco, salt, pepper,vinegar and veganaise. Whisk to combine. Add the oil in a slow steady stream while whisking vigorously. Fold in the onion, celery and parsley and taste for more salt or pepper if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour to let the flavors marinate together. Serve at room temperature.