5:30 Challenge
5 ingredients/30 minutes
Tonight’s solution
Sautéed Sausages with Grapes
To make the meal
Crusty French bread
Green salad
As the weather starts to turn cooler, a dinner of quickly sautéed sausages becomes particularly appealing. I have long served sausages sautéed with apples, but when I saw this recipe for sausages with grapes, I decided to give it a try. Apparently, this is a variation on a traditional Italian dish from the region of Umbria, Salsiccia all’Uva. Lidia Bastianich offers a recipe in her book “Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy” (Alfred A. Knopf, $35). The version here simplifies the classic, while still keeping the traditional Italian flavors.
Like most every recipe in the 5:30 Challenge, this one is ripe for personalization. Substitute hot Italian sausage for the sweet called for here, or use bratwurst or even country sausage. Use whatever grapes you have on hand, and add peppers, hot or sweet, if you like.
Sautéed Sausages with Grapes
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
1 pound sweet Italian sausage links, removed from casings and broken into 1-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
20 seedless red grapes, halved
Heat a large skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Add sausages and cook, turning every couple of minutes, until they’re browned all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and keep warm.
Add sliced onions to the skillet, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens completely and starts to turn light brown, about 7 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and chicken broth, and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to incorporate any browned bits.
Reduce to a gentle simmer and return the sausages to the skillet. Add the grapes, cover and continue to cook until the grapes and sausages are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 433 calories (percent of calories from fat, 74), 18 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 36 grams fat (13 grams saturated), 86 milligrams cholesterol, 836 milligrams sodium.
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