Holy Moly! This recipe delivers in both taste and presentation! The original recipe stated this is a traditional Tuscan harvest dish, but I know I have never run across anything like this before—not that I have ever been to Tuscany 🙂  I found this recipe in 150 Best American Recipes, but I changed it up a bit to suit my taste. I also reduced the quantities to serve a small crowd, rather than a whole village!  Now’s the time to make this recipe—the grape harvest is in! Actually, it seems like it’s always in now 🙂

I was hesitant to make this at first… Blasted grapes? I wasn’t sure about that at all. Turns out cooked grapes are delicious! Everyone I have served this to has been quickly won over, as well. This dish has quickly become a family favorite, especially in the Fall—maybe it has something to do with Oktoberfest.

I serve this over rustic mashed potatoes (description in body of recipe).

Have fun with this, it’s truly delicious.  If I had a Bistro, this would definitely be on the menu!

Picture credit to A Girl Defloured. My photo went up in flames in the big computer fire, which was followed by the big website meltdown.

Blasted Sausages and Grapes

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ lbs. Sweet Italian Sausages (usually 6)
• 1 can beer (or water)
• 3 T. butter,melted
• 1 lb red seedless grapes, stemmed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Rustic mashed potatoes—recipe summary included in body of recipe

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 500°.
2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cover the sausages with beer or water and parboil for 8 minutes to rid sausages of excess fat. Drain.
3. Pour melted butter into a baking pan (or a large ovenproof skillet). Add the grapes to the pan and toss to coat with the melted butter. Place the sausages in the pan with the grapes and butter, pushing the sausages down into the grapes.
4. Put the roasting pan or skillet with the grapes and sausages into 500° oven for 12 minutes. Turn sausages over, and roast for an additional 12 minutes.
5. While the sausages are cooking, make some Rustic Mashed Potatoes. 
   • Cube one russet potato for each guest, scrubbed but do not peeled. 
   • Put cubed potatoes in a pan of salted water and bring to a boil. 
   • Boil for approximately 20 minutes—could be longer if your potato cubes are larger. 
   • When potatoes are soft, drain and place in large mixing bowl. 
   • Add 1T of butter to mixing bowl for each potato. 
   • Whip potatoes and butter lightly together with an electric mixer.
   • Pour in 1T milk, cream or sour cream for each potato, and whip again. 
   • Do not over whip or you will have gluey potatoes—Rustic Mashed Potatoes should remain a bit lumpy. Taste, then add as much salt and pepper as needed.
6. With a slotted spoon remove sausages to serving platter. Top or surround the sausages with the cooked grapes.
7. Retain the pan juices in the bottom of the pan and move to a small saucepan. 
8. Stir in 2 tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar. 
9. Cook juices and vinegar over medium-high heat until the mixture is thick and syrupy.
10. Drizzle the sauce over the sausages and serve immediately with the Rustic Mashed Potatoes.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!